Bleach with a new Kurosaki
by DMGmana
Summary: What if the Kurosaki family had another daughter a year after Ichigo with the same ability to see ghosts? A retelling of the Bleach series with slightly detailed mature scenes along with an OC. Will not shift far from canon events.
1. New Beginning

Rika had gone shopping for the night to restock the household food only to find the wall of her home had a huge hole in it, her two younger sisters unconscious in the front yard, and her older brother dressed in a black kimono with a giant sword in his hands.

"Nii-san, what…?" Rika was lost for words as she stared at her brother. She then took notice of the injured petite girl leaning against an undamaged section of the wall.

"Rika, I'm glad you're safe," Ichigo sighed in relief and sheathed his sword.

"What happened here? What happened to you?" she asked.

"She'll explain everything to you," he jutted his thumb over to the girl, or rather where she used to be. "She ran off! That little…" he grumbled under his breath. "Yuzu and Karin are alright. As for dad, he's probably still asleep."

"Okay… But what about the damages to our house?" she asked. "Who did all this?" Her brother fell silent at that. She looked at her brother's new attire and weapon and discerned that something was off. "It isn't who, is it nii-san? What did this?" she corrected her sentence.

"It was a monster known as a Hollow," her brother finally answered with a heavy tone.

"…You don't mean that monster with the white mask that was rampaging earlier today, do you?" Rika was shocked.

"You were there?" Ichigo was alarmed for a moment. "Well, at least you aren't hurt. Yeah, it was something like that." A few seconds of silence passed between the siblings as they stared at their destroyed wall. "Nothing we can do here. Let's catch some sleep. Dad will do something about it tomorrow," he suggested. Rika silently nodded and followed her brother back in the house.

The next morning, both of the older siblings were stunned when their younger siblings and their father said the hole in the wall was caused by a truck. They passed each other confused stares but wisely chose not to say anything. Ichigo and Rika headed off to school and then parted ways to their respective classrooms. The girl that was with Ichigo yesterday night had somehow transferred into his class. When recess bell rang, she dragged him to the rooftop to discuss private matters concerning her 'stolen' powers.

The girl pulled out a red glove with a flaming skull emblazoned on it when they started arguing over certain issues. She slammed her gloved hand into his chin and Ichigo split into two. His uniformed self fell to the ground just like a corpse while the one dressed in the kimono stared down at it in a mixture of shock and disbelief. At that moment, Rika happened to arrive at the rooftop and witnessed the event.

"Nii-san!" she screamed and dashed towards him. Both heads turned to face her, alarmed at another person's presence. "What did you do to nii-san?" she glared at the girl. She immediately went into a dramatic play which caused both siblings to sweatdrop.

"She can see me, you know. You can drop that stupid act," Ichigo folded his arms irritably.

"Is that so?" the girl switched tones so suddenly it surprised Rika. "My name is Kuchiki Rukia. You are?" she asked in a tone that reminded her of a person with a high social standing.

"Kurosaki Rika," Rika replied. "Would you kindly explain why there's two of nii-san here?"

"Just tell her. No point in hiding it if she's already seen us," Ichigo told her. Rukia proceeded to explain the existence of the Shinigami and how she was one of them. Her powers had currently been transferred to Ichigo and she could not return home to Soul Society until her powers return to her. Rika took it all in stride but not without shooting confused looks every now and then.

"So nii-san is a Shinigami now?" Rika asked. Rukia nodded in response. "I see… I think I can believe you, but why do you need Nii-san now?"

"Work," Rukia gave a quick reply and showed them her cell phone which had a map currently displaying a small section of Karakura Town. "While I'm near powerless right now, he has to do my work for me. Follow me, Ichigo," she ordered with a firm tone and he complied.

"Rika, take care of my body until I get back, okay?" he instructed her to which she nodded and waved him a safe trip. He still had not returned when the recess bell rang again, signaling that break time was over. Rika started to panic, partly because her brother had not returned and partly because class had resumed. Only after a period and a half had passed did they return.

"Nii-san, are you alright?" Rika approached them. Neither of them looked hurt but Ichigo seemed pissed off as his scowl was deeper than usual. "Did something happen?"

"Just some Shinigami ethics I don't give a damn about," he replied. Rukia elbowed him in the side before huffing and returning to class. "Hey! At least tell me how to get back in my body!" Ichigo demanded but she was already out of sight.

"Maybe you walk back in?" Rika suggested awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

"It might work. Rika, hold my body up straight," Ichigo told her. She heaved a little as she held his body up by the shoulders. He slowly walked towards his body and stuck his hand in. A translucent blue light shone where he placed his hand. Gaining more confidence, he went right in.

"Nii-san?" Rika called from behind. She felt movement from her brother's body and she let go. Ichigo stumbled a bit before he got his bearings. "How are you feeling?" He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and told her to return to class. Rika had forgotten all about it despite it being one of her bigger worries. She dashed off hurriedly while Ichigo took his own sweet time.

After school, Rika went to a convenience store to buy some sweets for Yuzu and Karin. When she went out, she nearly missed Rukia turning round a corner that led into a scarcely populated area of Karakura Town. Growing suspicious of her, she tailed her all the way to a shack known as Urahara Shop. "I didn't know there was a store here…" Rika spoke to herself. She had been to this area only once before and did not remember seeing the shack. Taking a second look at it, the wooden panels seemed too old to have been recently built. She deduced that she must have missed it the first time round. Rukia spent ten minutes in that store before coming out empty-handed. That immediately caused Rika to figure that something was amiss. There was no way a small store like that could cause anyone to window-shop for ten whole minutes. She hid herself in a corner when Rukia turned to look around, feeling as if she was being followed before leaving the area.

"Hello there, young lady! Are you perhaps interested in what my humble store has to offer?" a jovial voice suddenly spoke up from behind her. She screamed loudly as her heart threatened to leap out of her chest from the shock. She quickly turned around and saw a man wearing a green kimono with a matching coat that flared at his ankles.

"W-W-Who are you?" Rika asked shakily, still recovering from the shock. "Are you perhaps the owner of that store?"

"That would be correct, young lady," he confirmed the guessed identity. "Urahara Kisuke, at your service. Right this way, please." He proceeded to walk towards the shack, gesturing for her to follow him. She obediently did so, feeling that this was a good chance to figure out what Rukia had gotten her brother into. True to Rika's suspicions, there really was nothing worth window-shopping in the shack. At first glance, it was just like a second-rate convenience store without the air-conditioning. They sat around a round table as a young girl served them tea. "From the look on your face, I can tell that you have many questions for me, don't you Kurosaki-san?" Urahara smiled meaningfully behind his opened paper fan.

"How do you know my name?" Rika asked, stunned by the shopkeeper.

"Oh, I have my ways," he answered lightly. "Now how about those questions? I'll answer as many as I can."

"First of all, am I right in assuming that this store has some dealings with… people calling themselves Shinigami?" Rika tried a direct approach.

"My, you are a sharp one," Urahara praised her. "That is correct. I have dealings with Shinigami."

"Forgive me if I'm being rude, but what do you intend to do with my brother?" Rika asked a more sensitive question.

"I'm just observing him for now," Urahara answered honestly while fanning himself lightly. "I want to see his potential as a Shinigami."

"For what purpose? Why involve my brother in all this?" Rika asked again, visibly upset that her brother was stuck in a dangerous situation.

"Now that information I cannot reveal, Kurosaki-san," Urahara said with utmost seriousness, though his smile was still in place. "I am sorry, but it's best if you don't know anymore at the moment." Although dejected by the refusal, Rika thanked him for the rest of the information and headed home to think about what was about to happen to Ichigo.

**Author's Note: First time trying to write about an OC. Now for a description of the OC.**

**Kurosaki Rika, 15 years old. She has straight chestnut brown hair that goes just past her shoulders. Her eyes are the same shade as Ichigo's. She prefers to wear baggy t-shirts and skirts that reach her knees. She's a few centimetres shorter than Ichigo, and her bust size is half a cup bigger than Tatsuki. Younger sister of Kurosaki Ichigo, and older sister of Kurosaki Yuzu and Kurosaki Karin. Born with the same abilities as Ichigo, she can see and touch ghosts and spirits just as well as he can. Was with him when the incident that took their mother's life happened. As such, she holds the same guilt as him, thinking they were the ones that killed Kurosaki Masaki. Ichigo vowed to protect his remaining family at all costs ever since, but Rika noticed the disregard for his own safety. In return, she would protect him from his own recklessness for the sake of keeping the family together.**

**Please enjoy this story, fellow readers!**


	2. Shinigami Duties With A Touch Of Rika

Weeks had passed since Ichigo first received his 'temporary' Shinigami powers and Rika inevitably found herself getting caught up in his Shinigami duties. She had only volunteered to take care of his body if he had to go Shinigami during school time, but those times were few. He would go to her class and take her away for 'family problems'. Even then she ended up involved in many of his fights, directly or not.

First was when a serpent-like Hollow with a humanoid upper body attacked them directly in their home with Rukia taking residence in their closet. Ichigo had managed to cut off part of its mask and revealed the identity of the Hollow. It was a patient that had died in their clinic a few years ago. Rika chewed Rukia out for information, and learned that Hollows were formerly spirits of the dead. They were horrified by the truth, but Rukia told Ichigo that if he did not kill the Hollow, the soul could not be saved.

Rika's sharp mind quickly caught on to her statement. That meant Shinigamis had some sort of special ability to save the soul of the Hollow. Rukia had mentioned something called Konso, but Rika had a feeling it was not the same thing. She chose not to ask about it since Rukia was extremely reluctant to reveal any Shinigami information in front of her. She claimed that Rika was not her substitute, and only Ichigo was supposed to be privy to that information. All that Rika had learnt so far were from finding the hidden meanings in her statements.

Next was when one of Ichigo's friends was brought in to their clinic due to severe injury to his back. Rika did not know any of her brother's friends, nor did they know her. The only one that knew her was Arisawa Tatsuki, their childhood friend and Ichigo's best friend. Ichigo made a conscious effort not to involve her in his affairs since his so-called infamous 'delinquent' status already made the students in her year unnecessarily hate, fear and avoid her simply because they were family. The fact that she was in the first year while Ichigo was in his second did not help in the least. As a result, her friends were also few and far in-between, similar to him. Even then she kept them at arm's length, never spending any free time with them.

Rika learnt from Ichigo that the tall Mexican guy was named Chad, or more appropriately, Sado Yasutora. Ichigo and Rukia noted that the wound was caused by a Hollow while Rika felt very uneasy and disturbed by 'something about the wound'. The wound had traces of Hollow reiatsu, and she was starting to learn what it felt like. He had disappeared the day after his treatment, and Karin had mysteriously fallen ill. Rika skipped school to take care of her younger sister. She woke up a few hours ago later and pleaded with her to tell Ichigo to free the soul trapped inside a cockatiel. Knowing that Karin had the same ghostly vision as them, she rushed off to find him.

When she did find him, she managed to witness the rising of the gates of Hell, as Rukia called them. She watched as a bat-like Hollow was thoroughly impaled by a massive sword emerging from the open gates and dragged in. When the gates disappeared, Ichigo and Rukia finally sensed her presence. She grumbled in frustration at how Rika appeared at the worst possible time and discovered something else related to the Shinigami. Rika frowned and ignored her, telling Ichigo Karin's message for him. The spirit trapped in the cockatiel was then freed by Ichigo, turning into a black butterfly and flying off to a place called Soul Society.

Soon after, something called a Mod Soul got involved with them. Rukia gave Ichigo an item called a Gikongan. It looked a sweet dispenser. She explained about its functions and added that it was better an artificial soul looked after his body than Rika. Rika was clearly upset but agreed that it was a better solution. When the replacement soul gave his introduction, both siblings were definitely unconvinced that he could even cover for him decently.

Ichigo nearly beat up his own body when the Mod Soul actually tried hitting on his sister. Ogling aside, he actually got on one knee and asked Rika for her name while calling her a beautiful lady and kissing her hand. Her face heated up like a thermometer and she descended into a spluttering mess. Her thoughts went haywire until Ichigo pulled his own body away from her and threatened to beat him up. In the end, Rika still ended up having to look after his body because his trust in the Mod Soul had dropped to rock-bottom after seeing him flirt shamelessly with her.

When Ichigo and Rukia left for their Shinigami duties, the Mod Soul immediately changed his demeanor. Rika watched curiously as he seemed to be trying to adjust to being in Ichigo's body by doing some stretches. In an attempt to impress her, he showed off his superhuman leg strength. She was stunned in shock, but unfortunately the Mod Soul thought she was stunned in awe. A teacher happened to come by and spot them, demanding why they were not in class. Rika was about to make up an excuse when she was abruptly picked up and carried off in bridal fashion as the Mod Soul took off to another part of the school.

Because of his absurd jumping power, each leap brought them high in the air. Rika held on tightly to his neck to avoid falling off, but he misintepreted it as a romantic move on her part. When he called her out on it, her blush returned full force but she did not lose control of her thought process this time. She retorted that she simply held on for safety and nothing more. Mentally, she did admit that it did give off a romantic feeling being carried that way and Ichigo was indeed attractive... She quickly shook those thoughts away and berated herself for even thinking about them. It was wrong, even if it was the Mod Soul controlling Ichigo's body.

In the end, neither of them returned to class. Ichigo had rushed back because he was worried about Rika and his 'image' as a cold, distant person. He ended up in a scuffle with the Mod Soul but he escaped into town, this time taking his sister hostage instead of simply carrying her around in an attempt to woo her.

He decided to simply wander around town, seemingly enjoying himself. Passers-by were watching him in shock since he was making incredibly high leaps. And since Rika was once again carried bridal style by him with her arms around his neck for safety, the people's eyes were also on her. Her face burned with embarrassment the entire time he was sight-seeing.

He eventually stopped on top of a wooden fence to observe some boys playing their hand-held games. She witnessed first-hand how infuriated he became when he overheard some boys talking about their games and how one of them deleted his current character for a new one. She tried to stop him for assaulting the children, and fortunately Ichigo arrived in time to stop the attack. Ichigo himself was furious about how he was about to attack innocent children alongside kidnapping his sister.

The Mod Soul turned his attention to Ichigo and attacked him. Ichigo could not fight back because he still had Rika in his arms and he did not want to hurt his own body. Rika was struggling to get free but to no avail. The Mod Soul was only using his legs to fight, so his grip on her was still strong.

He managed to escape again, this time going by the roofs. Now that the situation had calmed down a little, Rika asked him why he attacked the children. He told her about the situation around his existence, and how the day he was created was also the day his death was decided. He had miraculously survived his termination and was mixed with other types of medicine that were to be transported out of the warehouse. Even then he was still afraid of being found and scrapped. He simply wanted to be free. Rika sympathized with him, and understood his fury towards the children. He saw himself in the shoes of the deleted digital character.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to look back. Rika asked what was wrong when that uneasy and disturbing feeling she got when Sado was in their clinic with that wound caused by a Hollow came back. She asked if it was a Hollow and he nodded. She had finally been able to get a lock-on on the feeling of a Hollow's presence and their reiatsu.

The Mod Soul dashed back to the children who were about to get eaten by a centipede-like Hollow. He finally let her down and told her to stay back while he engaged the Hollow. He got in a major first hit but the fight quickly went downhill for him. After receiving a wound to the shoulder, he raced to the roof of a nearby building and the Hollow chased after him. Worried for him and her brother's body, Rika went after him as well.

When she did get to the rooftop, she was surprised to see Urahara and his group of workers with Ichigo and the Mod Soul. From the way he was talking, it appeared that the Gikongan Rukia had brought for Ichigo was from his store. Before he could do anything, Rika stated that she had something to do with the Mod Soul while he still possessed a body.

She went up to him and stared in his eyes uneasily. Her cheeks flushed pink before giving a quick peck on his cheek. Urahara's eyes widened in surprise while Ichigo turned red in embarrassment, yelling that it was his body she was kissing. The Mod Soul was stunned by her action as she thanked him for the trip. Even though the day was hectic and she was highly embarrassed during his escapade, she admitted that it was nice being carried like that.

Nodding to Urahara, she stepped away and allowed him to eject the Mod Soul from Ichigo's body. When Ichigo asked what Urahara was going to do with him, he was surprised when the shopkeeper replied that he was going to destroy it. Rukia arrived just then to say that she was satisfied with her purchase and there was no need for him to do so.

Along the way home, Ichigo grumbled about how ridiculous it was for Rika to fall for a Mod Soul. She retorted that she did not fall for him and that it was a one-time thing only. He snorted and pointed out the small blush on her face. It erupted to full-blown redness as she screamed at him that it was simply because it was embarrassing to talk about it and that it was not related to the event at all.

He decided to drop the subject and dug out the pill from his pocket. He questioned Rukia on how he could complain to the Mod Soul directly since he injured the body he was using, which was Ichigo's body. Rukia told him to inject the pill into a body without a soul, in other words, a dead body. Rika pointed out that there was no way they would find a dead body around. She then pointed towards a plush lion sitting on a pile of rubbish bags and suggested that he try to use it. The two of them were unsure about it but decided to try anyway. It did not move after a few seconds and Ichigo swung it around by its arm. Only then did it react. Rika looked on worriedly as Ichigo harshly grabbed the toy by its head and told him that he would 'take good care of him'.

The next morning, the Mod Soul woke Ichigo up irritably with his blabbering and ended up being thrown face-first into the door and being named Kon. The door opened and Rika walked in already dressed in her uniform. She mentioned how he would not wake up at all even though she tried to get him up and that they were going to be late for school. She took a step in and stepped on something soft that squeaked. She looked down to see Kon gazing upwards at her. He gave her a thumbs up and mentioned a nice angle.

Realizing what the nice angle meant, her face turned extremely red as she shrieked and quickly backed away, her hands pushing her skirt inwards to prevent any more peeking. Ichigo hurriedly rushed to kick him away from the door. Just as he was closing the door to get dressed for school with no time for a morning bath, Rika mentioned that it was that day tomorrow.

The day Kurosaki Masaki, their mother, died.

**Author's Note: These events differ slightly from canon due to Rika's presence. The outcome of those events does not change. While Inoue's scene has no changes, the rest does. The cockatiel scene has no mention of Sado and Rukia fighting the Hollow because Karin was not there to delay Ichigo's search and separate him from Rukia. The Mod Soul scene has more changes than the rest. Because of Kon's interest in the female gender, he did not go to Ichigo's class as instructed since Rika was already with him. Kon's and Ichigo's first fight took place in a different part of the school instead of the classroom before his escape and 'kidnapping' Rika. The last change is after Kon gets his plush lion body. Instead of throwing Kon towards the closet, Ichigo threw him to the door where Kon peeked up Rika's skirt instead of Rukia's. This does not change his relationship with Rukia. He will still call her Nee-san. The only thing new is his relationship with Rika.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	3. Memories In The Rain

Later that night, Ichigo made a special request to Rukia. He wanted tomorrow off from his Shinigami duties. She made it a point that there was no such thing as a day off for Shinigamis on duty.

"Please, Kuchiki. Tomorrow is a very important day for us," Rika said almost pleadingly. "It's the anniversary tomorrow."

"It's the day our mother died. ...No, it's the day she was killed," Ichigo added. Rukia fell silent at their solemn looks and quietly went back into the closet. Inside she thought long and hard, imagining various scenarios in her head. The most prominent one was that a Hollow had killed their mother. As she closed her eyes, she resolved to tell them about the possibility tomorrow. With the siblings, they were having trouble falling asleep. Ichigo had draped a towel over his eyes to help him rest, but the images from that night still kept flashing in front of his closed eyes. He had no doubt Rika was going through the same thing since he could literally feel how hard she was tossing and turning in the lower bunk of their bunk bed.

The Kurosaki family was off to the cemetery the next morning in uncomfortable silence. Along the way they had to climb a steep hill. Yuzu was the first to break the silence, stating the hill was really steep and she was getting tired. Karin was fine with it and advised her not to talk like that or else their father would do something stupid as a response. He already was doing something stupid, as he was in a hand-stand while shouting encouragement to Yuzu. The females of the family were a few metres ahead of Ichigo and Isshin and they sweatdropped at his absurd show of encouragement. Karin told her to ignore him and stated that if she responded to people like that, they would be on her back forever.

"How naive!" he stated as his eyes glinted at the challenge. "Even if you don't respond, I'll still be on your back!" He raced up the hill with surprising speed for walking on hands, and Karin urged her sisters to run. Before they could react, Isshin was miraculously able to dive forward with his arms first from a hand-stand. And due to his speed and low position, there was enough velocity behind his dive to blow Yuzu's and Rika's skirt upwards. Good news and bad news arrived at the same time.

The good news: Isshin could only look one way and the direction he was looking at was not in Yuzu's direction. As for Karin, she was wearing pants so she was safe either way.

The bad news: Isshin was looking in Rika's direction and even though she tried holding down her flapping skirt, he still got a peek at her panties. He even commented on them.

Embarrassment, humiliation and anger rushed through Rika at the same time. With her face colored red by those three feelings, she joined Karin in kicking his face and sent him tumbling all the way down the hill to where they started from. Ichigo looked at where his father had been launched to with a raised eyebrow.

"Stupid old man..." Rika grumbled under her breath. Isshin was an eccentric man and she refrained from acting violently towards him despite that. She left the beatings to Ichigo and on occasion Karin. That was not to say she would not attack him if she was the target of his harassment. The things he did were usually limited to idiotic ramblings and attacking Ichigo at random times. Rika would simply ignore her father then, unless she got directly involved. There were more than a few times when he would bust into their room trying to attack Ichigo again, only to find him not there and Rika about to get dressed. Oh yes, smashing his head into the wall of the hallway had a great feeling of righteous satisfaction. And of course there was the one time he tried attacking Ichigo in the bath but found her instead. Turning the bathwater in the tub red with his blood had an even better feeling. Her father had amazing endurance and vitality, so Rika had no regrets inflicting a fatal wound on him. Isshin never tried to target the bathroom again even since. The only saving grace from that time was that she was soaking in the tub when he busted in, so he did not see her body in its naked glory.

Before the children could proceed without their father, the twins spotted someone. The older pair of siblings panicked when they recognized who it was. It was Rukia! She was blatantly waving her sunhat at them with a cheerfully fake smile. Yuzu asked if either Rika or Ichigo knew her, and Ichigo denied knowing her at all. Just when Karin was about to remember her face, Rika quickly made a lie and said that it was a friend of theirs in high school. Ichigo followed up by saying that it was so nostalgic seeing her that they have to talk to her right away. The older siblings dashed up the hill and dragged her away, telling the twins to go on ahead to their mother's grave. They never suspected a thing.

They dragged Rukia all the way to a used path in the nearby forest.

"Why are you following me?" Ichigo asked, not pleased at all.

"You don't have any way of turning into a Shinigami. I told you to bring Kon with you just in case," Rika told him. It was something she mentioned earlier before they left but he absolutely refused, shutting Kon in their desk drawer.

"Hmph," Rukia chuckled in amusement. "Your sister has more sense than you and she's not the Shinigami."

"Even so, you could have followed us more discreetly," Ichigo replied.

"Sorry about that. I didn't realize," she stated blankly. The siblings gave her an exasperated look.

"Why are you angry?" he asked. She seemed a bit colder than usual to him.

"I'm not angry," she replied. She looked away with a contemplating expression for a moment. "You said she was killed... Your mother." Both siblings froze at that subject. None of them sensed the presence of another person nearby.

"I didn't say that," Ichigo denied, not wanting to talk about it.

"Who killed her?" Rukia continued.

"I didn't say that," he repeated himself. "Forget about it."

"You said you could see ghosts for as long as you could remember," she continued on, unperturbed by his denial. At his silence, she went on. "Then tell me one thing. Did a Hollow kill your mother?" Both Ichigo and Rika's eyes widened at that. It was true that they had lost consciousness and never witnessed who killed their mother, so a Hollow might very well be the culprit. But the very idea to them was ludicrous.

"How could you even...!" Rika snarled and stomped towards her. Ichigo held her back to prevent her from doing anything reckless. "Let me go, nii-san! This... This..." she struggled to break free from his grip.

"There is that possibility," Rukia went on, ignoring the scene in front of her. "If your reiryoku was high enough to see spirits, a Hollow might have been after you and killed your mother by mistake." Rika's fury grew even more at the preposterous claim, even if was possible. She was too blinded by anger to think straight. This was something that struck very dearly to her family's heart, and she was not willing to let an outsider make guesses and predictions over how her mother died. Ichigo could not hold back his anger either.

"We can't take this anymore!" he yelled, finally getting Rukia to pay attention to him. "Give us a break. You expect us to believe that crap you're spouting out of your mouth? It's already nothing to joke about and then you come up with this nonsense?" She had no reply this time. "To you everything is the cause of Hollows. Have you ever once thought that maybe it wasn't them?"

"We don't believe a Hollow killed our mother," Rika spoke up, her anger rapidly dissolving and being replaced with overwhelming grief and regret. "And even if it was, the ones who got her killed... was us." Her voice cracked at the end and she ran off.

"Now you know," Ichigo walked passed her and left her standing there in shock as he chased after his sister. Stunned by the revelation, Rukia walked aimlessly down the path with their words continually ringing in her head. She eventually reached the side of a cliff and sat down.

"...I'm an idiot," she muttered. Of all the scenarios, she had never imagined death by kin. Her backpack started rustling on its own and out popped a small plush lion. Rukia had brought Kon along in case she could not reach Ichigo herself. "Kon? I told you not to come out until I said so."

"It was hot in there! Let me have a breather, nee-san!" Kon whined, waving a paw at his face to demonstrate his point. "Come on. Why don't we go home?" He was incredibly bored with nothing to do at all.

"I told you. If we are separated from Ichigo, our response will be delayed if a Hollow appears," Rukia told him. Kon sulked and turned around to face away from her.

"It's always Hollow, Hollow, Hollow anywhere and anytime with you! If you think of nothing but work, you're going to lose friends, nee-san," Kon said in a snarky tone. He was not trying to insult her though. It was just a reminder that life was not always about work. Rukia stood up without warning, making him lose balance and fall off. Thinking she was mad, he tried to apologize but was quickly hushed. Focusing her senses for a moment, she quickly detected a spiritual being nearby. Cautiously, she trekked down the worn path and eventually found the being. It was another Shinigami. Having a bad feeling about it, Kon ran off to tell Ichigo.

With the older pair of Kurosaki siblings, Ichigo had managed to catch up to his sister at the stairs leading to the cemetery. He quietly watched her violently trembling shoulders. She had one hand covering her mouth, trying to stifle her sobs. Her back was turned to him, but he could still see how fast the tears were falling down her face. The only time he had seen her cry that hard was when they regained consciousness only to see their mother lying face down, dead. Remembering that made him remember all too clearly about the last moments the two of them spent with their mother.

*Flashback*

It was a rainy day, and Ichigo and Rika were walking in front of Masaki on the sidewalk. When they turned the corner, a truck zoomed pass and splashed them with muddy water. She went over and wiped their faces clean with her handkerchief, telling them to switch sides. They did not want to, since they were wearing raincoats and she was not. In the end they were turned down and she took the road side. Being the mommy's boy and girl that they were, they wanted to hold her hand. She only one hand free however, and Rika gave it to Ichigo since she held her hand yesterday.

Along the way home they had to pass by a river. The rain had gotten a lot heavier and the river was raging violently. Both siblings noticed a girl standing by the edge of the riverbank. The girl suddenly moved to fall in, and they rushed to save her from drowning. They never heard their mother's cries. The last thing they could remember before everything blacked out was reaching the riverbank.

When they regained consciousness, they realized there was a weight over them. Their eyes turned to look at it, and widened when they realized it was their mother over them. They quickly crawled out from under her and saw a lot of blood coming out from her back. They tried shaking her and called for her many times but she did not respond. Neither had any medical knowledge at the time, but they knew enough that she was dead. They had moved to save that girl only for their mother to end up dead before their very eyes. She died protecting them from something, they realized. But it did not matter. It was their fault she was dead. Their mother, the very center of their family, had been taken away by them.

*End Flashback*

It hurt. Like someone had dug out their hearts, poisoned them with all the negative feelings in the world, then put them back. The amount of grief, guilt and self-loathing could not be described with words even if they tried. Ichigo fell on all fours, trying his absolute best not to let his tears show. Rika was crying enough for both of them. Back then, and now.

After regaining some composure, they proceeded to go to the cemetery where their mother's grave was. Kon suddenly appeared from the bushes and claimed Rukia was in trouble. Alarmed, Ichigo ordered Rika to go to their sisters while he followed Kon back. Rika rushed as fast as she could, and was relieved to see the twins safe. They questioned why she was panting so hard when the disturbing feeling of a Hollow's presence suddenly appeared behind her. Karin's eyes were frozen as she stared behind her older sister, Rika shakily turned back to see a Hollow right behind her, and looking directly at her. It resembled a hamster with what looked like a fishing lure hanging from its head.

"You smell tasty, girl. If you weren't in front of me, I would have mistaken you for a Shinigami," the Hollow spoke. Yuzu could not see it and could only see the horror plastered on both her sisters' faces.

"Karin-chan? Onee-chan, what's wrong? Is something there?" she asked worriedly. She knew of her other siblings' ghostly vision, and knew that it was something only they could see.

"Yuzu-chan, Karin-chan! Run, now!" Rika managed to move her legs despite the invisible force that had been pushing down on her even since the Hollow appeared. Karin was quick to heed the warning and turned to run. Yuzu was still confused and asked what was happening. "I said RUN!" Rika yelled at her, grabbing her hand harshly and pulling her along.

The Hollow allowed them to run for a short distance before giving chase. His gait was big and his stride was long and fast, catching up with them easily. Rika noticed a shadow over her and saw one of his front legs trying to squash her. Mustering all her strength, she threw Yuzu to Karin just before she was pressed down by him.

"Karin-chan...! Go, run! Run to otou-san!" she told them from her downed position.

"Rika-nee! What about you?" Karin yelled as she got ready to run again.

"Never mind me! Go! Urg...!" Rika felt even more pressure trying to crush her into the concrete pavement. She felt pain burning throughout her body, and she guessed a few of her ribs had broke from the force. To her horror, she saw Yuzu breaking away from Karin and trying to help her up. "Yuzu-chan, what are you doing...! I told you to run...!" she wheezed painfully.

"I can't leave you here!" Yuzu declared, trying to pull her free. Rika managed to look up just enough to see the Hollow's appendage start to move.

"Karin-chan, grab Yuzu-chan and go! He's attacking!" she yelled. Luckily for Yuzu, Karin knew how to react to orders quickly and managed to pull her twin away just as the appendage tried to grab her by the neck.

"Karin-chan, we have to help onee-chan!" Yuzu once again tried to break free.

"There's nothing we can do!" Karin snapped, frustrated by her inability to do anything to help. "We have to run! Rika-nee is giving us the chance to escape!" Karin herself wanted to turn back to help her sister, but forced herself to escape.

Rika sighed in relief even as the grief-stricken wail from Yuzu faded from her ears. Her breathing was suddenly cut off as she felt something squeeze around her neck. She spluttered and choked as she tried to pull away whatever it was that was strangling her. The pressure on her back was lifted, and she was brought face to face with the Hollow. She managed to force an eye open, and saw that she was being held with the Hollow's appendage.

"I love eating females," the Hollow told her. "They just taste so good. And you smell the tastiest of all! I can hunt the other two later." He watched with a maniacal glee as Rika's face slowly turned blue and her struggles were getting weaker. He could see the light fading from her eyes. He choose to wait for her to lose consciousness before he ate her.

His wait turned out to be his mistake. His appendage was cut off and Rika was freed. Ichigo had his massive sword held in one hand while his other hand was busy pulling it away from her neck. She coughed and choked as her air flow returned to normal. She barely noted Rukia and another Shinigami arriving as well.

"Nii...-san... You're late..." she smiled weakly up at him.

"Yeah, sorry about that," he grinned lightly to her. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine soon," she answered softly, taking her time to breathe in much needed oxygen. Looking over to the Hollow, she saw a sight that she had not seen for six years. "Y-You..." Ichigo saw the same thing as her. "You're the girl from six years ago..."

"What's... going on?" he asked.

"Six years ago? Ichigo... You don't mean..." Rukia quickly saw the connection when the siblings recognized the figure in front of them.

"We tried to save that kid from drowning six years ago," he told her. "We suddenly lost consciousness, but when we woke up... our mom was..."

"Six years ago? I don't remember anything from that long ago," the girl spoke with a malicious tone. "This is interesting." The girl's features suddenly split in half from the head. The four of them watched as a pink appendage shot out from the top of her head and connected itself to the Hollow. The girl was split in half and flew up to reveal itself as nothing more than a lure.

"Grand Fisher," Rukia spoke up. "That's its codename. It hides itself and makes that appendage take human form. Anyone who sees it, in other words humans with high amounts of reiryoku, becomes its meal to increase its power. It has evaded the Shinigami for 50 long years and its favorite meal is... women."

"Which means... this thing killed our mom?" Ichigo asked. A glance at Rika glaring at Grand Fisher with all the anger and hate she contained made his own anger and hate appear.

"Ah, I see," he laughed to himself. "You two must be really lucky kids to have survived after seeing me. I might have been after you for your reiatsu, but women just look so tasty."

Ichigo had heard enough. With a battle cry, he jumped high into the air to slash downwards and was totally evaded. A warning from Rukia enabled him to avoid an attack by Grand Fisher. He jumped to the top of a nearby brick wall but was trapped in place by the Hollow's fur. Rukia tried to assist with her Bakudou but he quickly broke out of it. With Ichigo unable to move, his next target was the vulnerable Rika.

A killing blow meant for her was taken by the other Shinigami. Due to the distraction, Ichigo managed enough strength to cut away the fur binding him. The Shinigami mentioned that Shinigamis never stop fighting Hollows, and they never forgive them because of their indiscriminate killing and causing precious people to be lost. Ichigo was not expecting a Shinigami to die, but Rukia told him that they still do die. However, that man did not die and had somehow fallen asleep despite his severe puncture wounds.

Kon just arrived in Ichigo's body to see Ichigo and Rukia glaring at Grand Fisher. He saw Rika trying to force herself to stand but her legs were trembling so badly they gave out on her. Her strength had still not returned enough for her to stand and her chest was still protesting in pain. Rukia ordered him to take Rika away to safety. When he asked about her, she snapped at him to go. Once again, he carried her bridal style and ran off.

"Kon, wait," Rika pulled his t-shirt to get his attention.

"What's the matter, Rika?" he asked.

"I need to watch nii-san's fight. I have to," she spoke quietly as to not aggravate her injury.

"What? It's too dangerous!" he protested.

"Just stand at a safe distance. Please, Kon..." she pleaded. He looked down to see a determined look in her eyes. He also saw something else. Because of the sudden heavy rain, her clothes were drenched and were sticking to her skin. He could barely see the outlines of her bra beginning to show through her wet shirt. He quickly looked up and straight ahead before she noticed he was not looking at her face anymore.

Kon did as requested and they watched as Ichigo battled ferociously against Grand Fisher. As the battle raged on, he had not been able to land a single hit on the Hollow at all. To make matters worse, he was able to change the lure to have the face of their mother. He taunted Ichigo with her image and used it to stop one of his attacks. Using the hesitation, he commanded his fur to stab his shoulder straight through. Before he could finish him off, a miracle happened. The lure acted on its own.

The Shinigami who had fallen asleep earlier arrived and explained that it was the mother's dying wish that caused the lure to act the way it did. Their mother's spirit looked at Ichigo with the eyes he so dearly remembered. She told him how proud she was. She was truly proud of the entire family. She told Ichigo to live before she disappeared. Empowered by her wish, Ichigo was able to find the strength to cut off one of Grand Fisher's legs before he retreated. Enraged by the retreat, he demanded that it come back and finish their fight. Before he could attempt to give chase, his own strength faded and he fainted from all the pain and exhaustion. Rukia cradled his head on her lap and started to heal him.

Rika requested Kon to bring her to the temple where her father and sisters were taking shelter from the rain. The twins were glad their older siblings were safe, although Karin was eyeing Kon suspiciously. She felt something off about her brother, especially with that somewhat aloof look on his face. She understood that Rika was probably too hurt to stand and allowed him to carry her. But why was he looking so hard at her? She scrutinized her sister and realized that her light-colored shirt was thoroughly drenched from the rain and had become see-through.

Deciding to blame it on hormones for his weird behavior, Karin pointed out that fact plainly. Rika looked towards her chest and realized what she meant. Kon quickly snapped his head away and started whistling to feign innocence. Karin could almost swear she saw steam exiting from her sister's extremely red face. She did not do anything to try to cover her chest, though. Isshin chuckled before wrapping his coat over her to cover her modesty.

When the rain finally stopped, Ichigo had returned to his body in secret and Rika had regained enough strength to walk but not without pain. They prayed to their mother's gravestone and stared at it solemnly, remembering how she died and her death wish. Ichigo apologized to their mother for failing to avenge her. Isshin came up to them and told him that as long as he lived healthily she would be satisfied. He took out a cigarette to smoke, and they mentioned that they thought he had quit smoking. He told them that Misaki thought his hand looked cool when he smoked, so he only smoked on this day in front of her grave.

The siblings could no longer hold back their own grief and Ichigo asked why none of the other three family members blamed them for taking their mother away. Isshin told them that it was not anyone's fault Masaki died, and that the woman he fell in love with did not mind dying to protect her beloved children. If he blamed them for her death, she would be angry at him. He reminded them that they should not forget they were the children she gave her life to protect.

He suddenly kneed Ichigo in the back before walking off with Rika. He told them to live to the fullest, and if possible to die with a smile. He specifically told Ichigo not to be wishy-washy, since he was still too young to look cool carrying his grief around. When they was out of ear-shot, Ichigo called out to the eavesdropping Rukia and told her he wished to remain a Shinigami a little longer. He wished to get stronger so that he could protect the people being targeted by the Hollows. He also swore to beat Grand Fisher, or else he could not face his mother. Rukia had a look of pride almost, and allowed him to do so.

**Author's Note: Instead of Karin and Yuzu getting captured, Rika had them run and she got caught instead. Instead of Karin being the target of the fatal attack, it was Rika. The moment Kon arrived, it was to help carry her around instead bringing the twins to Isshin. I also made the rain fall earlier for the slight ecchi moments between Kon and Rika. There will not be anything deep concerning their relationship. This scene has minor changes that are simply meant to include Rika. Major changes that will shift the Bleach canon storyline will occur in later chapters.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	4. Quincy, Shinigami, Human

Over the next few weeks, activities went by fairly normally. There was an incident at the abandoned hospital where a man named Don Kanonji set the stage for his show. To Ichigo and Rika, he was a loony. A ridiculous loony that was somehow famous. His show claimed that he was clearing the area of 'Bad Spirits'. It turned out he genuinely had spiritual awareness and not empty boasting. Unfortunately, the way he cleared 'Bad Spirits' ended up turning the Plus chained to the hospital into a Hollow. It did not escalate into anything much thankfully.

It was only when a classmate of Ichigo, Ishida Uryuu, came up to them one night. Rukia's cell phone had been missing the mark lately and after another miss, he showed up. He first questioned the siblings whether they could see ghosts. Ichigo feigned ignorance by asking what he was talking about. Before he could reply, he turned his head to the side and said a new Hollow had appeared. Two Kurosakis and a Kuchiki were surprised by his statement. It was only after his statement that Rukia's cell phone notified them of a Hollow. Ichigo asked which direction, and Ishida pointed to the right. He berated Ichigo, saying that even though he called himself a Shinigami, he still did not know things like the sensing of a Hollow's appearance. He took a stance, and a bow made of translucent blue light appeared in his hand. Pulling it back with the other, he let loose an arrow of the same light and it struck an appearing Hollow right in the skull. It let out a pained howl as it disappeared.

Rika stared at the location the Hollow had appeared at just a second ago. Somehow, its death seemed wrong. At the times she witnessed Ichigo killing them, she could sense their reiatsu almost converting into something purer before the Hollow disappeared. She guessed it was their reiatsu reverting back to that of a Plus before being sent to Soul Society. Now, she sensed nothing at all. The Hollow's presence and its reiatsu simply vanished.

Nonetheless, she was impressed by his ability to sense a Hollow just as it appeared. Even Rukia's cell phone needed a moment longer to detect it. She had recently been able to detect a Hollow somewhat. Going by her own guesses, she learnt that her detection range was limited to how far she could see and the Hollow had to be fully in the Living World. She supposed it also detected around her, since she once sensed a Hollow appearing quite a distance behind her.

"What the hell are you?" Ichigo asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Ishida Uryuu, Quincy," he gave his name and status. "And I hate Shinigami."

"What?" Ichigo was puzzled by his statement.

"What I mean is... Kurosaki Ichigo, I hate _you_," Ishida glared at him hatefully before leaving. Ichigo was extremely disturbed by the meeting the entire night and even the next morning. It was not exactly disturbing to him; it just annoyed the hell out of him. He eventually came across Inoue who told him that Ishida was in the handicrafts club and they spied on him for a moment. When school ended, Ichigo grabbed Rika and took her to tail him.

"Are you going to follow me all the way home, Kurosaki?" Ishida paused at a staircase not far from school. Knowing he was caught, Ichigo stepped out from the corner with his sister.

"So you knew. Since when?" he asked.

"Probably from the start," Rika supplied an answer.

"Really?" he turned to her with a surprised look.

"That girl is right. I knew since you were spying at me from the classroom door with Inoue-san," Ishida confirmed.

"Oh? Pretty impressive. You got skills," Ichigo stated merely as a fact, not as a compliment.

"If Ishida-senpai can detect Hollows, what makes you think he won't detect you?" Rika gave her brother a deadpanned look. He returned the look back with one of confusion. "Nii-san, don't tell me you never realized you have been leaking your reiryoku?"

"Eh?" he looked alarmed at his new discovery that was old to both Rika and Ishida. She shook her head and sighed in exasperation.

"Nii-san, it's your reiryoku. Shouldn't you be able to at least feel your own power?"

"Apparently, you lack the ability to sense other people with high reiryoku. As proof, you've never noticed my existence until today. It's not unexpected, considering you can't even sense your own," Ishida told him.

"Well excuse me then. I'm no good at remembering people's faces and names," he replied sarcastically.

"That's not what I mean," Ishida fully turned to face the siblings. "I noticed from the day you transferred to our school. The inordinate height of your reiryoku." Ichigo's eyes widened at the revelation. "And the fact that you got your Shinigami powers around mid-May. As well as Kuchiki Rukia's real identity. There's also another fact I just recently learnt. Your Shinigami powers have been... polluting your own sister's reiryoku."

"What?" both siblings uttered together. Instead of a verbal reply, he summoned up Spirit Threads.

"Spirit Threads, spirit energy in the atmosphere condensed and visualized," he explained. "Someone unrefined in the use of reiryoku should not be able to materialize them. Imouto-san, have you seen this before?" At Rika's nod, he continued. "Please give a genuine try at materializing them."

Puzzled at the request, she did so anyway. She focused on the feeling of the Spirit Threads and imagined them appearing before her. To her and Ichigo's shock, she was able to call on them. Due to the loss of focus, they immediately disappeared. "That is proof of your pollution, Kurosaki Ichigo. While I noticed your sister has a very high amount of reiryoku, although hers is nowhere near yours, she should not have been able to use it at all. Also..."

For a split-second, Ishida vanished from their sight. The next, he was crouching in front of Ichigo and holding a _red_ Spirit Thread. "This is your Spirit Thread," he told Ichigo. "Don't you know? A Shinigami's Spirit Thread has a different color." He dismissed the threads and stood up. "Why don't we have a match, Kurosaki Ichigo?" At Ichigo's glare, he supposed he was willing to listen. "I'll make you understand which of us is superior, and that Shinigamis are unnecessary in this world."

"A match? You and me?" Ichigo asked.

"That's right." They glared at each other for a moment.

"Hmph! Freaking ridiculous!" Ichigo yelled. "Why should I have a match with you? It's stupid. I don't know what you have against Shinigami, but it's got nothing to do with me."

"You're running away, eh?" Ishida taunted.

"You can't provoke me," he retorted. "I'm just saying that between you and me, there'd be no competition. Let's go, Rika." He turned to leave with Rika giving a small bow to Ishida as a customary respect for her senior before following.

"Oh that's right, I had forgotten," Ishida spoke up, making them stop. "You're a Shinigami who got his powers from Kuchiki-san. In other words, a temporary Shinigami. Without her permission, you can't even lift a finger."

"What did you say?" Ichigo muttered coldly. Sensing trouble brewing and knowing how easily he got riled up, Rika harshly pulled on his uniform sleeve and told him to forget it. He chose to listen to his pride instead of her and told her to head back first. He dug out Kon from his bag and harshly took the pill from within the plush toy. He swallowed it and went into his Shinigami form with Kon controlling his body. Rika picked up the now empty toy and tucked it into her own bag. "Now, go over the rules of the battle quickly."

"We'll fight with this," Ishida took out a pill from his shirt pocket. Ichigo quirked his eyebrow, prompting him to explain. "It's Hollow bait. If I crush and scatter it around, Hollows will appear."

"What did you say?" Ichigo exclaimed in alarm. Rika also had a similar look on her face.

"Whoever kills the most Hollows that gather in 24 hours is declared the victor," he coldly stated, ignoring the apparent danger that attracting Hollows would cause. "How's that? Isn't the rules easy to understand?" a smirk appeared on his face.

"Don't be ridiculous! Don't you realize how much danger you'll put the town in if you use that?" Rika yelled at him. "Are you planning to put innocent lives at stake simply for this battle?"

"There is no need to worry, imouto-san. I will kill every single Hollow myself," he claimed proudly. "If you have the confidence to protect others from Hollows, then you should be able to accept this challenge, Kurosaki." Without even waiting for a response, he crushed the bait between his fingers. Rika looked on in horror as she watched the particles dissipate into the air.

One Hollow was quick to respond to the bait and when it appeared, was immediately shot down by Ishida. Ichigo knocked him down to the ground, grabbing a fistful of his uniform. He demanded that he reverse the effects of the bait, but he ignored him and told him that instead of holding on to him, he had more important things to do.

"Did you forget? Hollows have a tendency to favor and attack humans with high reiryoku," Ishida reminded. Rika was quick to catch on the reminder.

"Yuzu-chan! Karin-chan!" she quickly rushed off to her home.

"Rika, wait! It's too dangerous to go alone!" Ichigo called out for her but she did not hear him. "Shit! Kon! Go after her!"

"I got it!" the Mod Soul gave chase and caught up to her in a matter of seconds. "Rika, it's too dangerous for you to be alone!"

"Then help me, Kon! Help me get to my sisters!" she snapped.

"O-Okay! Hold on tight!"

"What are you- Ah!" Once again, she found herself being carried bridal style by the Mod Soul. Normally she would be embarrassed by it, but her sisters were top priority. Circling her arms around his neck, she directed him on where to go. Karin was first. Yuzu could not see ghosts, so she doubted she would be targeted. Her first stop was her school but looking at the school clock, Karin was no longer there. She was off playing soccer with her friends. There were many public soccer fields in Karakura Town and she did not favor any one. They had no choice but to search each one, but even Rika did not know the location of all the fields. They just had to try.

While Kon was genuinely worried for the family, he was not as worried. Instead, his thoughts were drifting on how manly he felt carrying Rika around like a bride. Luckily for him, she needed his leg strength and he would gladly offer it anytime to get to carry her like this. Who knew, perhaps one thing would lead to another and finally end with hot steamy action.

"Kon," his passenger called for him. She sounded like she was demanding his attention, and he sensed danger approaching him.

"What is it, Rika?" he asked, looking down at her. He could see a tick on her temple as she glared spitefully at him. Her cheeks were stained with a deep red, embarrassed and angry at the same time.

"...Where do you think your hand is touching?" she managed to just avoid growling at him. He gave her a confused look. His arms were supposed to be around her body and under her knees. He bent over slightly to look at his arms. One was definitely around her body, but the other was definitely not under her knees. He found his hand under her skirt and his pinky finger was beginning to brush the edges of her panties.

"Ah ha... Ha ha ha... Well, you see..." he failed miserably at trying to find an excuse. He did not realize his arm had moved inwards during his daydreaming.

"GET YOUR HAND OUT OF THERE!" she screamed right next to his ear before delivering a massive slap, nearly sending his head into a nearby pole. He quickly straightened himself and readjusted his grip back to its proper position. Unwilling to get on her bad side, he completely focused himself to getting to their destination. They arrived at a field minutes later, and it was empty. "Kon, next!" They went to every soccer field Rika knew of, but Karin was not in each one of them. Even Kon was beginning to run out of stamina and breath. "Kon, get us back home! They might be there!"

To both their relief and disappointment, their home had not been targeted. Yuzu was cleaning the house as per usual and Isshin was waiting for any patients to drop by the clinic. The disappointment was that Karin was not home. Just before they could leave, their initial relief turned to horror. Hollows had appeared by the street just outside the clinic. From the way they were facing, it seemed they were aiming for the house.

"Kon, protect Yuzu-chan and otou-san!" she ordered. "I'll find Karin-chan myself!" She quickly got off and started running to any other area she suspected had a soccer field. After she ran quite a distance, she had to stop to catch her breath. Before she could even do that, her minor detection ability went haywire and it was pointing directly behind her. Three Hollows had appeared and they were eyeing her.

_"Did you forget? Hollows have a tendency to favor and attack humans with high reiryoku."_

Ishida's reminder sounded in her head. In her haste to find Karin, she had forgotten that she herself was one of those humans. Based on his observations, she was most likely third place if there ever was a competition of which human had the most reiryoku. Ichigo was a clear winner, and she supposed Ishida deserved second since he actually had control of it. He had claimed she had a very high amount of reiryoku but nowhere near the amount of her brother. He did not mention her own reiatsu leaking, so it most likely was not.

Rika could see the hunger for her in their glowing eyes. She quickly picked up her speed and sprinted away. Hopefully, her stamina would last until she could find either Ichigo or Ishida. The Hollows gave chase and luckily they were slower, but not by much. It would take a very long run to totally lose them. As she ran past a deserted area, she saw the Urahara Shop. Remembering that Urahara had dealings with Shinigami, he was bound to be able to help her. To her horror, no-one was available.

"No... No way..." she wheezed. Despair was steadily climbing onto her as her options to seek help were getting lesser. She managed to get out of the one-way street just before the Hollows could corner her at the shack. She had even more Hollows chasing her now, never mind the ones rapidly appearing high in the atmosphere.

She ran in the middle of the street, never taking any narrow turns for fear of finding a dead-end. A dead-end meant her life was also at a dead-end. The longer she ran, the more exhausted she became. The longer she ran, the more Hollows joined the chase. The longer she ran with no sign of either Ichigo or Ishida, the more her hope diminished.

Her legs finally gave out on her near a forest clearing, sending her to the ground mid-run. Her lungs burned for oxygen, and her legs were not responding to her will. She could not even find the strength to stand. Her legs were just that strained. In a desperate bid to escape, she began crawling with her arms as fast as she could.

She never got far. The Hollows surrounded her like a pack of hungry wild dogs. She had never been more terrified in her life. At an unknown signal, all the Hollows pounced on her. She shut her eyes and covered her head with her hands as though it would provide protection.

Instead of feeling the sensation of pain, what sounded like a cannon impact was heard. Opening her eyes again, she was never more relieved to see Urahara and his small group of helpers.

"Urahara-san!" she cried.

"I'm sorry for the wait, Kurosaki-san. We had other people to help as well," he told her with his happy-go-lucky smile. "Everyone, please get rid of the Hollows now." At his command, the helpers attacked with their respective weapons, destroying the Hollows with ease.

Once all of them were destroyed, Urahara crouched down next to her and put a palm to her legs. His palm started glowing a mystical green and after a moment, Rika could feel her legs beginning to feel better. After a while, her legs felt perfectly rested instead of being strained to hell.

"Healing kidou sure is useful," she commented.

"It is," Urahara agreed. "Shall we go and aid your brother this time?"

"Nii-san is in trouble?" she exclaimed in panic.

"Not particularly. He just has something else to focus on soon," he fanned himself lightly as the group followed his lead.

"Urahara-san," she spoke up after a silent moment.

"Yes?"

"A senior in my school, he calls himself a Quincy," she began.

"Ah," Urahara immediately understood.

"I won't ask what the Quincy are, but it's about something he mentioned."

"And that is?"

"He told me that my reiryoku has been polluted by nii-san's own ever since he became a Shinigami."

"Oh? Is that so?" Urahara did not seem surprised, and Rika got suspicious.

"Did someone else got polluted by nii-san's reiryoku as well?" she asked.

"Yes, two other individuals have been greatly polluted, as you say, by your brother's reiryoku. I'm just surprised you haven't shown any change yet since you are the closest individual to him," he replied.

"Urahara-san, is it possible to check for any changes?" she asked, a little worried about what change he was talking about. He placed two fingers on her forehead and she felt as though her body was being scanned. After a few seconds, he let go with a pleasant look on his face.

"Well well, your reiryoku seems to be waking up from its dormant state," he told her. That much was true, but he was holding back a key piece of information from her. Her reiryoku was taking a step towards becoming like her brother. In other words, her human reiatsu that her reiryoku produced was subtly converting itself into Shinigami reiatsu. Not too surprising, considering her heritage.

She walked leisurely with the group, asking if whatever was causing the hairline cracks in the sky was what her brother had to deal with later. Urahara confirmed her guess, but made no mention of what it was exactly other than a Hollow. While walking, she focused a little on remembering the feel of using her reiryoku. She tried to remember what it felt like. It did not take her long to recognize the feel of it.

When they arrived at their destination, the thing causing the hairline cracks turned out to a towering Hollow known as a Menos Grande, or simply Menos, according to Rukia who was already there with Kon. Urahara advised them to simply watch, and when Rukia tried to protest she was disabled by some sort of kidou Rika could not identify. She had heard Rukia mention a school of sorts in the Soul Society and kidou was one of the subjects.

They watched how Ichigo countered the Menos' Cero, and drove it away with an attack that slashed its entire frame. Rika heard Ishida mumble to himself about how Ichigo's leaking reiryoku was in an 'off mode' and how that attack had turned it 'on'.

Ichigo laid on his back from exhaustion before his sword suddenly deformed and he started screaming in pain. Ishida was quick to realize it was reiryoku he could not control and it would destroy his body if nothing was done. He put one foot on the blade and his spirit bow was enlarged to three times its regular size. He started firing arrows into the air to release all the unneeded power.

As Rika watched, her chest was throbbing in reaction. She put a hand over her chest and squeezed lightly. The throbbing seemed to come from somewhere inside her and was causing her to feel phantom pain. She could feel her reiryoku reacting to her brother's, but did not know what was going to change. Urahara had never mentioned what change was happening to her and it was something to worry about.

At the same time, somewhere very near yet very far from Rika's location, an individual yawned loudly and stretched its tired limbs.

"It's too early... Why did her stupid brother have to wake me up...?"

**Author's Note: This chapter marks the start of the shift in the Bleach universe. There are no changes in any of the battles involved, only the inclusion of Rika being an additional target and Kon being with her instead of Rukia. Along with Inoue and Sado, Rika was also affected by Ichigo's reiryoku, only her change hasn't happened yet. She is also beginning to get a grip on her own reiatsu, but she won't be able to use it other than calling Spirit Threads to her. The unknown individual at the end will be revealed a few chapters later.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	5. Spiritual Enlightenment

The phantom pain Rika was feeling had never disappeared ever since yesterday afternoon. There was a constant pressure coming from within her, and she had to force herself to stop from clutching her chest in discomfort. As a result she lost much of her appetite, upsetting Yuzu greatly. She lost a lot of sleep as well. The phantom pain was just too distracting.

It bothered her to the point she told Ichigo she would be skipping school for the day. He suggested having Rukia look over her but she was acting weird and did not seem to be in the mood to help. She looked almost melancholic when she left the house. Ichigo was worried for Rika, since he was also bothered by the fact she was 'changing'.

Later that afternoon, Rika made her way to the Urahara Shop. If anybody could help, it was surely him. After all, he was the one who performed the diagnosis. When she arrived, she saw a black cat strolling around the shack. Rika felt something was amiss with the cat, and she stared at it. It seemingly sensed her looking at it and stared back.

"You're... not a normal cat, are you?" she asked. The cat did not answer and ran into the shack. Rika looked at it in slight curiosity before heading inside. "Urahara-san, are you in?" Instead of the shopkeeper, the head assistant greeted her.

"Oh, Kurosaki-dono. Is there something we can help you with?" Tessai asked in his always polite tone.

"Yes, there is. I believe it has something to do with my reiryoku," she replied, clutching her chest without meaning to. Despite the dim surroundings, light was mysteriously reflected off his square glasses.

"Yes, I will get the owner immediately," he bowed slightly before heading to the back of the store. She did not have to wait long for Urahara. He invited her over to the back where Ururu served them some green tea. Rika explained about how her reiatsu had been acting weirdly and about the pressure in her chest. He simply nodded in understanding each time.

"I can help you with your troubles. But first, would you like to take a guess on what is happening to you?" he asked her.

"My reiryoku started acting weirdly ever since nii-san lost control of his reiryoku yesterday," she recalled.

"Anything else?" he prompted. "Like a change in the feel of your reiatsu?" Rika blinked stupidly at him, only now realizing she had never inspected her reiatsu for anything improper. She had only checked the source, her reiryoku. Focusing for a moment, she felt for her reiatsu. She quickly noticed something extremely wrong. Her reiatsu had two feelings to it. One was the one she had originally felt the day before, and the other was new to her. It looked like the first feeling was slowing converting into the second feeling. "It looks like you noticed," Urahara brought her attention back to him.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Can you match this new reiatsu to anything in mind?" he asked her instead of answering her question. She racked her mind for anything that felt the same as the new feeling of her reiatsu. Now that she thought about it, the only other reiatsu she could actively sense belonged to Ichigo. Thinking back further, her detection ability only kicked in after she could sense his overflowing reiryoku. She remembered Ishida mentioning his reiryoku polluting hers. He said the pollution began ever since he received his Shinigami powers from Rukia so...

Her face turned pale at the conclusion she arrived at. Now she recognized what the new feeling of her reiatsu was. It had the same general feeling as Ichigo's reiatsu, but not exactly the same. She also remembered that for each Hollow she could sense, the general feeling of a Hollow's reiatsu was the same but at the same time somehow different. She supposed it marked each of them as a Hollow of one kind only, like DNA or a thumbprint. None were exactly alike.

"I... have... Shinigami reiatsu..." she mumbled weakly.

"Yes," Urahara agreed. "And your situation is vastly different than the other two individuals that have been affected by your brother's reiryoku."

"How so?"

"Those two have developed special powers unique only to them. As for you, your human reiatsu has been converting to that of a Shinigami. However, in your case, the change is like a ticking time bomb." The news sent chills up her spine.

"W-Why?"

"For you to understand, I will have to explain certain things about Soul Society," he told her. "Are you ready?" At her nod, he began his explanation. "I'm sure you have seen the act of Konso, and how Pluses get sent to Soul Society. Those Pluses get placed in an area called Rukongai where they live their afterlife and are simply normal souls with no more danger of becoming a Hollow. Souls with notable reiryoku or are able to wield it are enrolled into the Shinigami Academy. Are you with me so far?"

Rika matched what he had said with what she had learnt. She had seen her brother do Konso, and Rukia had spoken of a place called the Soul Society. She had also mentioned a school for Shinigami. So far, everything matched other than Rukongai. She had not heard about it, but there was no reason to doubt Urahara. After making sure to remember everything, she nodded in affirmation.

"It is in the Academy where the souls learn how to be Shinigami. Not all the souls can become Shinigami, only the ones with potential. Other souls remain as they are until they get reborn in the Living World. Remember that Shinigamis are souls. The two affected individuals and the Quincy are still very much human even though they can make use of their reiryoku. As for you, Kurosaki-san, you are not yet a soul, so you are not a Plus. Your reiatsu is still human reiatsu. If your soul is removed from your human body, only then does your human reiatsu become a soul's reiatsu. Please remind me again. What is your reiatsu undergoing now?"

"It's converting itself into Shinigami reiatsu," she answered without missing a beat.

"Correct. Your reiatsu is totally skipping the part of needing to be a soul first. It is fatal for you since a soul cannot contain human reiatsu and Shinigami reiatsu at the same time, only one or the other. You have to be a Plus to safely convert human reiatsu into Shinigami reiatsu."

"What will happen to me?"

"Your human body will die, and your soul will destroy itself. You can't be both dead and alive simultaneously. A Shinigami is a soul. To be a Shinigami is to die."

Rika became utterly afraid for her life at that moment. When she first learned of the Shinigami's existence, she lost all fear of death. Now she was being told her soul would destroy itself if nothing was done and afterlife would be moot. Then she remembered Ichigo's condition.

"Wait a minute! Nii-san is still alive and he's a Shinigami!" she brought up her most important point. She told him everything Ichigo had told her about how he became a Shinigami.

"He missed an important part. When he was stabbed, his soul was forced out before he turned into a Shinigami. He died for a very short period of time to allow his soul to become a Shinigami. He probably did not remember getting back into his human body. In essence, he is a human in body and Shinigami in soul. He is perfectly fine and will still live and age just like an ordinary human. You, on the other hand, are skipping the most vital part. Your soul is trying to live and die at the same time. It cannot handle the strain."

Thoughts of how distraught her family would be for losing another member haunted her. She wanted to live, both for herself and her family.

"Please, Urahara-san! Is there anything you can do to help me?" she pleaded.

"Of course, but there is a small condition," he told her. "You will stay here for the rest of the day until tomorrow. Something will happen tonight, and I request that you stay put for the duration of that event." Rika was not fooled by his laid-back tone.

"Is something bad going to happen to nii-san again?" she stated more than asked.

"It will certainly be bad, yes," Urahara dropped his smile. "You can be rest assured, he will not die."

"But-!" Rika could not believe her ears. How could he tell her to just sit back while knowing her brother was in grave danger? Her protest quickly died on her lips when her brain began thinking rationally. There would be nothing she could do anyway. "Urahara-san, can I at least watch?"

"...Very well. However, please do not do anything to blow our cover. Otherwise, I'll have to knock you out," he warned.

"Thank you, Urahara-san," she bowed gratefully to him.

"You're very welcome, Kurosaki-san," he returned the bow as courtesy. "If you wish to follow, you will be exposed to danger if your brother calls upon more reiryoku than he can handle."

"Eh? Why?"

"I'm sure you remember what happened yesterday. He very nearly destroyed himself with his own reiryoku simply by using more than he can control. It most likely will not happen again if he calls upon that excess reiryoku. However, you will be affected by that excess. Yesterday, the conversion of your reiatsu sped up tremendously simply by being near him when his reiryoku went out of control and his reiatsu flared wildly. It has speeded up to a point where you are feeling pressure on your soul. That is what is causing your phantom pain. If the same thing happens again, that phantom pain will feel very real and you will get even closer to being destroyed."

"..."

"If you wish to back out now, I will not stop you."

"No, I will see it through to the end."

"Stubborn just like your brother, I see," Urahara chuckled, hiding his smile behind his paper fan. "Thankfully not as bad. You are able to see reason much faster than him."

"Maybe... He's smarter than me, though," she replied modestly. The black cat that Rika had seen outside the shack came in the room at that moment and she stared at it again, trying to quell that weird feeling the cat was not normal.

"Ah, Yoruichi-san!" Urahara called out to the cat cheerfully.

"Urahara-san, that cat..." she spoke up hesitantly. "Not to be rude but... Somehow, its presence just doesn't feel right..."

"Good senses, little girl," a deep voice that sounded like an old man rang out in the room. The cat's mouth had moved when the voice spoke, so it had to come from it. Rika refrained from panicking at the sight of a talking cat.

"I knew... it wasn't a normal cat..." she said awkwardly.

"Sorry little girl, but I have something important to talk to Kisuke about," he told her. Knowing it as a polite request to leave them alone, Rika quickly stood up and left the room. With a lot of time to pass before night arrived, she helped Ururu maintain the shack's cleanliness much to girl's happiness. Jinta was also glad for it, since he no longer had to do his share. Of course, Tessai was quick to reprimand him and brought him to do other chores.

When night finally arrived, Rika followed Urahara and Yoruichi with a major sense of dread. Something bad was certain to happen. Urahara stopped her near the edge of a forest and motioned to move inside. They parked at a location which was hard to locate but easy to see out of. He reminded Rika one last time to be quiet and not to blow their cover.

Rika watched apprehensively as Ichigo was grieviously wounded when the man in red hair with tattoos on his forehead suddenly morphed his katana into a huge sword that was sectioned by picks via a command followed by what sounded like a name. Ichigo had tried to defend himself but was unable to halt the blow and the picks dug deep into his shoulder before they were harshly pulled out, digging even deeper into his wound. Rukia wrapped herself around the man, stopping him from attacking further as she pleaded for Ichigo to get up and run.

Ichigo stood still for a moment before his reiatsu suddenly flared. He had subconsciously called upon more of his reiryoku to match his opponent. Rika winced when she felt her phantom pain become even more noticeable and clutched her chest on reflex. Urahara and Yoruichi spared her a short glance before returning their attention to the restarted battle. The tables were suddenly turned, with Ichigo giving his opponent a few glancing wounds. Those wounds were enough to disable the man from moving away from a fatal strike.

The fatal strike never landed. Ichigo's giant sword had most of blade missing. Rika had to blink to make sure she had not missed anything. The red-haired man did not do anything. He was pinned down by the force of Ichigo's reiatsu and the wound to his leg tendon. What was left of Ichigo's sword looked too clean for it to have simply broke from wear and tear.

She quickly realized that it was the doing of the other Shinigami with a scarf around his neck. It was Rukia's brother if how she referred to him was true. Her guess was right on the mark. The cut off section of Ichigo's sword was in his hand. Ichigo realized the same thing after staring at his stump of a sword for some time. Just as he turned to face him, that same man was suddenly behind him. Ichigo suddenly jerked and slowly started to fall to the ground in defeat.

"Slow, even in defeat," he stated and Ichigo jerked a second time before completing his fall. Rika had to bite her lip hard in other not to cry out to her brother. It was also not to cry out in pain. Just as Urahara had warned, her phantom pain had become real. The pain was excruciating, as though something inside her was trying to tear her chest open in two. Her vision blurred badly as it quickly became too painful to bear. She blacked out just as Rukia kicked Ichigo's hand away from her brother's hakama.

**Author's Note: I will try to stick to the canon descriptions of the terms used in Bleach, but I may twist or add new terms to fit the development of the story. An example would be me separating a human's and a soul's reiatsu. In canon, their reiatsu is the same thing. At this point in time, Rika is beginning to get more deeply involved with her brother's Shinigami situation on a personal level and her change has taken a turn for the worst after being exposed to even more of Ichigo's reiatsu. The first major shift in the Bleach canon storyline will happen in the next chapter or two.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	6. Protector And The Protected

Ichigo thought he was dead from the lack of pain and opened his eyes, expecting to see some sort of heaven. Instead, he saw Tessai's face very close to him. Screaming in shock, he scrambled to keep him away before kicking him off. Tessai called for Urahara, stating that Ichigo had awoken. Urahara entered the room, lightly reprimanding him for moving so much. If his wounds opened again, he would die.

"Sandal-hat? Are you the one who saved me?" Ichigo asked with a frown.

"Oh? That's not the response I was expecting," Urahara gave a surprised reply. "It almost sounds like you didn't want to be saved." Ichigo did not respond, staring at the wooden floor instead. The memories of the battle flashed before his eyes. He remembered Ishida being defeated nearby and asked if he was alright. Urahara told him that he was fine and had treated his wounds on the spot. Ishida had left some words for Ichigo before he left. He said that the only chance to defeat those two Shinigamis was not him. The only one who could save Rukia was Ichigo. He also gave his wishes for Rika to get well.

That caught Ichigo's attention more than the irony that he was the only one who could save Rukia. He asked where his sister was and Urahara pointed his paper fan behind him. He turned and saw his comatose sister laying in another futon next to his.

"What happened to Rika? Who did this to her?" he demanded, his protective side coming to the surface.

"Do you really want to know, Kurosaki-san? You won't like the answer," Urahara cautioned.

"Just tell me who did this to her!"

"It was _you_, Kurosaki-san. Your reiryoku has been killing her slowly ever since you gained Shinigami powers." Ichigo was stunned by this. He was the one killing off his sister like an epidemic virus?

"Don't screw around with me! I didn't even do anything to her!" he denied furiously. "What do you mean my reiryoku is killing her?"

"Didn't Ishida-san tell you that your reiryoku has been polluting your sister? This is the result of that pollution. Your overflowing reiryoku caused her reiryoku to change, and that change is killing her."

Ichigo despaired over the fact that not only was Rukia going to be executed in Soul Society, his own sister was being killed by him. Urahara eased his worries by telling him that he knew how to save Rika and how to get to Soul Society. He had two conditions though. Ichigo was to train with him for ten days and Rika was coming along for the ride. He was stunned by the conditions and argued that he leave his sister out of this and that they did not know when Rukia was going to get executed. There was no time to train. Urahara interrupted him by knocking him down to the floor with his cane a few inches away from his face.

"You just don't get it," his voice turned serious. "I'm trying to tell you that the way you are now, you'll die there." For a second, Ichigo thought he saw the image of a sword overlapping his cane. He gulped nervously as he turned his eyes to face Urahara. "Do you think you can win against them the way you are? This time, I let you fight them. I figured it would be faster than trying to tell you you can't win. With your current strength, you wouldn't be the least bit useful in Soul Society." He paused for a moment to let it all sink in. "You're weak. When a weakling enters enemy territory, they call that suicide. You wish to save Kuchiki-san? It will never be that simple. Don't use other people as an excuse to die."

Urahara stood up and walked back to his original position while explaining that Soul Society customarily takes a one month grace period before the execution of death row prisoners. Starting from tomorrow, ten days would be used to train both siblings. After that, seven days to open the gate to Soul Society. That left thirteen days in Soul Society to save Rukia. There was plenty of time. The image of Rukia walking to Soul Society flashed in Ichigo's mind one more time. He asked if ten days were really enough to get him stronger.

"Of course," Urahara replied. "If you truly desire to save Kuchiki-san from the bottom of your heart." He turned to face Ichigo with a confident smirk. "For ten days, can you survive a life-or-death situation with me?"

"You really have to ask?" Ichigo glared at him with strong determination in his eyes. "And what about Rika? Can you treat her?"

"Her treatment will begin at the same time your training begins. Go home for now, Kurosaki-san. Spend the day as you normally would. Return here once night falls tomorrow."

Ichigo did as he was told, going to school the next day and acting like everything was normal. One thing stood out very clear to him though. No-one remembered Kuchiki Rukia at all. It was as if her existence was erased as soon as she returned to Soul Society.

On the way home, he was confronted by Inoue who asked him where Rukia had gone. A little surprised that she could remember, he told her what happened to her. After that he asked when she was able to see ghosts. She told him it was right after the incident with her brother. She thanked him for helping her brother find the way to heaven.

Inoue mistook Rukia departure as simply going home, but Ichigo corrected her by saying she was in a situation where she could get killed at any time. Inoue let her imagination run wild for a moment, but somehow it helped Ichigo harden his resolve to bring her back to Karakura Town. As he left to hurry home, Sado appeared by Inoue's side as they looked at him leave. They never noticed the black cat watching them.

As promised, Ichigo returned to the Urahara Shop that night. He was brought to an area underneath the shop. Urahara dramatically shouted out his surprise at having such space underneath his store. Ichigo told him to shut it as he was surprised enough as it was. He told him to get on with the study session as he called it. Urahara complied with his wishes and slammed the butt of his cane into his forehead, knocking out the soul within the body and separating the two. Ichigo demanded why he did that without warning before falling to his knees due to shortness of breath.

"Hard to breathe as a soul, isn't it?" Urahara asked. "Right now, your soul sleep, the source of your reiryoku, and your chain link, its booster, are destroyed. In other words, you are a normal human soul with no reiryoku to speak of. Until you restore it, there's no way we can even begin."

"Then what do I have to do?" Ichigo asked.

"Rather than explain, how about we just get to it?" he then called for Ururu. "Hey! Are you ready?" Ururu had various protective gear being carried in her large skirt. "Lesson one: Please fight with Ururu. The rules are simple. When one or the other can no longer move, you've cleared the lesson. Please knock her out."

"Don't be ridiculous! You're telling me to hit such a little kid?" Ichigo protested. "Besides, didn't you say you'll treat Rika at the same time as I start?" Rika's unconscious form was being carried by Tessai like a potato sack. Feigning ignorance, Urahara had the gall to look surprised and claimed he had forgotten. Tessai held her upright and he pushed out her soul just as he did for Ichigo. Rika's soul fell haplessly to the ground. It took a while for her soul form to stir awake.

"What happened...?" she asked groggily. When her vision focused, she saw all the people of the Urahara Shop along with Ichigo who had a Chain of Fate attached to him. She realized he was a normal soul instead of a Shinigami. The sound of a chain rattling when she stood up alerted her to her own Chain of Fate. "I'm a soul?"

"That is correct. In order to save your life, I have to eject your soul, first and foremost," Urahara explained. "That is still not enough as your soul is still linked to your body." Rika noticed that her Chain of Fate was attached to her now soul-less body, similarly with Ichigo. "Your reiatsu can now safely convert itself but unless you turn into a Shinigami to complete the conversion, you can never safely return to your own body again. Your body will attempt to reach for your human reiatsu and the stress it has to go through to bypass all of the Shinigami reiatsu will destroy your soul and leave you dead."

"Now hold on there!" Ichigo raised his voice to get their attention. "You're telling me that Rika has to be a Shinigami or else she dies? What kind of crap is that?"

"What?" Rika was taken aback by her brother's ignorance. "Are you trying to say that you would leave my own body in a coma and I have to wonder around as a soul simply to avoid dying?"

"That's not what I meant!" he snapped. "I just don't want you to be a Shinigami!"

"But she has to be," Urahara added himself into their short argument. "Or else things will go exactly as she said."

"Can't you just put her in a gigai like the one Rukia used?" Ichigo fished around for an alternative. He really did not want to expose his sister to the danger he had to go through. If she became one, Hollows would start going after her.

"I can't. I would have to sever the attachment to her body in order to do so," the shop owner shook his head. "And even then it would not stop her soul's detoriation into a Hollow. In that case, the only alternative would be to do Konso and send her to Soul Society unless you want her to be a Hollow. Either way, she will be dead."

"So there's no other choice...?" Ichigo glared at Urahara, trying to see if he was lying to him. There was no hint of deceit on his face. "Fine! But she's not coming with me to Soul Society!"

"...Kurosaki-san, your sister coming along with you was one of the conditions I set. You have agreed, and it would be really bad manners for you to take back your word," Urahara stared at him seriously. "Even if she didn't come along, she will be eventually detected by Soul Society and hunted down and killed as an illegal Shinigami. Just like you. And if you try to hide it, your entire family might be marked as a target as well. It is fortunate that they did not find out about your sister when they came after Kuchiki-san and you."

Rika realized that Rukia had been retrieved by the two Shinigami that had appeared yesterday. Urahara had said Ichigo was an illegal Shinigami, so that meant giving a human Shinigami powers was a felony in Soul Society. If Ichigo was going to Soul Society, it was most likely to save her. If it was simply prison time, he would not have bothered. The only other plausible scenario was that she was a criminal marked for death.

"You are going to rescue Kuchiki, aren't you nii-san?" she asked her brother quietly. "How are you going to do it?" Urahara answered for Ichigo, explaining about the training they were about to undergo. Rika quickly understood the importance of the training session unlike Ichigo, who grunted in annoyance when teased about it by Urahara.

"I still don't like it," Ichigo snorted. "I don't want her to be in danger."

"And you aren't?" Rika argued. Her brother's protective streak would occasionally go too far, and now was one of them. "If you don't get past the danger safely, what makes you think you can even save her? You think you can save her if you ignore the danger to your own life? I can understand risking your life but the way you're disregarding your own safety is too much!"

"No, I'm not!" he snapped.

"Yes, you are!" she snapped back. "I can tell you want to do this alone without involving anyone else! You aren't invincible! You were just defeated yesterday!" Ichigo just glared at her angrily without retorting because it was true. "What is so wrong with getting help? Why do you think it's wrong when you are the one protected, not the one doing the protecting?"

"You know why! You were there when it happened!" he yelled.

"At least I'm not against being protected!" she yelled back. "I'm grateful for okaa-san's sacrifice and I'm grateful for all the times you've protected me, but I want to protect our family too! That means you as well! Didn't you say that older siblings are born first so they can protect the ones that come after them? Did you forget that I'm an older sibling to Yuzu-chan and Karin-chan too? Whenever they get worried about you, they come to me to get answers! If you die on this rescue mission, they are going to ask me what happened to you! What am I supposed to tell them, huh? That you died because of your recklessness? Do you honestly think they will accept that? Or do you want me to make up a lie about how you died and make you sound like some kind of superhero? Do you want to make me suffer from carrying the guilt of knowing the truth about your death? If you die, how am I supposed to tell them that? How am I supposed to tell them that they lost their older brother? If I don't protect you from your own recklessness, how am I supposed to tell them I'm sorry that I let you die? TELL ME!"

Ichigo was lost for words. Rika's words cut him deep. In his drive to rescue Rukia, he failed to realize what would happen if he failed. No, scratch that. 'If he died' was the correct phrase. He could very well succeed in rescuing her but end up dying in the process. The family would go through the same depression they had with their mother's death.

Ever since Masaki's death, Rika tried her absolute best to fill in her shoes. She was considered the new center of the family, at least for the twins. They found little to no comfort in their father, and their brother was just not suitable to really share their troubles with. Yuzu always came to her whenever a problem arised for her, and Karin would only do so if the problem was something she could not handle alone. However, Rika could not have done it on her own. She needed Ichigo by her side. If he died, she might crumble from the loss of his presence.

"What if you die instead? Have you thought about that?" Ichigo countered, his anger all but forgotten.

"I don't think you'll let it happen," Rika answered with all honesty, giving him a small smile as her own anger faded away.

Ichigo could not help but crack a grin. "That's true," he agreed. "I'm counting on you to watch my back for me, Rika."

"I'll try my best, nii-san," she swore. "Leave your back to me. I will aid you to the end."

"It looks like you two have settled your differences," Urahara finally spoke after quietly watching the two bicker. "Shall we begin the lesson?" They both nodded with their own brand of determination. The older sibling held the determination to rescue and protect an important person in his life, while the younger sibling held the determination to aid her brother at all costs and to deter him from heading towards his own destruction.

At the same time, an unseen individual was seeing and hearing everything that had been happening.

"It looks like we'll be meeting _real_ soon, Kurosaki Rika..." the individual spoke before laughing with a mischievious tone.

**Author's Note: Rika's treatment is exactly the same thing Ichigo has to go through to regain his Shinigami powers. She has to turn into a Shinigami or else she can never live as a human again. If she forces herself, she will die by the self-destruction of her soul. Urahara has a reason why Rika is to accompany Ichigo to Soul Society and has explained it to him. Ichigo's resolve to rescue Rukia does not change, and Rika is resolved to keep her brother in check and not let his recklessness go too far. The unknown individual rears its head once again, this time having something to do with Rika. The first major shift begins...**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	7. Trials Of The Shattered Shaft: Part One

Lesson one was now underway. Ichigo was to fight with Ururu until one of them could no longer move. Ururu tossed some of the protective gear over to him and advised him to put them on or he could die. Any protest he had quickly died on his lips when he saw her rushing towards him at great speed and throwing a punch, knocking up a huge cloud of dust when her fist impacted against the ground.

"Hey, that's way too much! There's no way he'll be able to fight against her as a human soul!" Rika protested.

"That's part of the point of this lesson," Urahara replied. "He's not supposed to win. In fact, he can't." When the dust cloud cleared a little, only Ururu could be seen standing. A few seconds later, Ichigo came tumbling out like a hapless rag doll.

"Just how long was nii-san tumbling in there...?" Rika asked with a sweatdrop forming at the back of her head. It was just not possible for him to evade a punch like that and not get blown away by the force of the impact. It had to be some sort of ridiculous miracle he was still within the general area and somehow tumbling.

"Who knows?" Jinta shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly. "Oh, he's getting up! He's going right for her! No wait, he just ran right past her!" he provided commentary like it was a boxing match.

Seeing Ichigo run made Rika suspicious. A few minutes ago, he was struggling to even breathe, let alone stand. How was he able to suddenly run without any trouble breathing? She had no problems of any sort when she first realized she was in soul form. So why was it Ichigo only? Seeing him as a human soul instead of a Shinigami clued her to the fact he had lost his Shinigami powers. There was no way it had simply faded away, not with him leaking reiryoku all the time. That meant he had lost them in the fight. She suddenly realized she could no longer sense his reiryoku. She zeroed in on him but she still could not sense it.

"Urahara-san, did something happen to nii-san during his fight?" she asked him with a frown. "I can't sense him anymore."

"That's no surprise, since he lost his reiryoku in that battle," he replied. Rika just gave him a confused look but he did not say any more. Ichigo lost his reiryoku? From conversations with Urahara, she learnt that reiryoku was the source of reiatsu. Was his difficulty in breathing in soul form due to the lack of reiryoku? Rika was also pretty sure his soul had not been tampered with until Rukia came along. This training was to get him to regain his Shinigami-

Oh. Now she understood why she was told she did not need lesson one.

Urahara smirked behind his paper fan when he saw the look of comprehension dawning on her face. She had figured out the true point of lesson one. It was for him to regain the reiryoku he had lost. "Don't tell him. It won't do unless he figures it out for himself," he told her.

"I wasn't planning to," she replied. It was useless to know the answer if the point was not understood.

"Hey, how do I put this on?" Ichigo yelled while running away from Ururu.

"Kurosaki-san! The forehead! The forehead!" Urahara motioned wrapping something around his forehead.

"Like this?" Ichigo actually gained enough distance to pause and attempt to imitate him.

"Then you scream at the top of your lungs: 'Take this, Power of Righteousness! The Righteous Armor, Justice Headband! Equip!'" he added.

"Okay, I got it. Alright then..." Ichigo prepared himself to say it before throwing the headband down in frustration. "Like hell I could say that!" Before he could complain any further, a diving punch from Ururu made him pick it up and run again.

"I don't think now's the time for embarrassment," Urahara commented off-handedly.

"I know that chant meant nothing!" Rika accused. "Nii-san would never-" she tried to defend her brother's pride when she was interrupted by Ichigo himself.

"Take this, Power of Righteousness! The Righteous Armor, Justice Headband! Equip!" Rika's jaw nearly dropped off its hinges when she heard him actually say it.

"Oh my, he actually said it..." Urahara was hiding his full-blown grin behind his fan.

"I don't know him... I don't know him..." Rika was uttering the phrase repeatedly like a mantra to deny any relationship between Ichigo and her, not that it helped any. She had tried to defend his pride only for him to utter that stupid chant and make a fool of himself and her by extension. She was feeling very embarrassed to be his sister at that moment.

Ichigo bought himself enough distance to wear his protective gear, but it ended up doing nothing other than provide simple cosmetics. After a little more running around, he suddenly turned around to face Ururu head-on. He stood his ground and dodged a punch to the face. He started counter-attacking, throwing his own punches at her.

One of his punches must have had hit Ururu, because she suddenly stood on his outstretched arm and delivered a kick that sent him flying towards a huge hill. At that instant, Urahara had held back most of the kick's power while Tessai took the brunt of the crash, holding Ichigo in front of him. Even then, there was still enough power to cause a crater to appear where they crashed.

Ichigo requested a retry, but Urahara passed him anyway. When he asked why, Urahara told him that he never mentioned he would clear only by knocking out Ururu. He revealed that the girl had anti-Shinigami fighting abilities, and that a human soul would never defeat her no matter how hard it struggled. The turning point was whether he could dodge a blow or not. If he dodged, he passed. If not, he died. Both siblings angrily snapped at him, telling him to say that earlier. His defense was that he believed Ichigo would definitely be able to dodge.

He then asked if it was still hard to breathe. Ichigo had not realized he could breathe normally again. That meant he had successfully restored his lost reiryoku. Urahara also explained why Rika never needed lesson one. Her reiryoku had never been lost in the first place. He proposed a celebration for his passing. As they waited to hear what it was, Tessai slammed an axe on Ichigo's Chain of Fate without warning, severing it from his body. Jinta did the same to Rika using his metal bat.

"Wha-?" both siblings gasped as a huge hole opened up underneath their feet. They screamed loudly and for a long time before they stopped. Urahara commented on how deep they were, and Ururu gave a salute claiming she did her best. Tessai jumped into Ichigo's hole and Urahara jumped into Rika's. Once there, they explained about lesson two. It was named Shattered Shaft. In it, the erosion of their Chain of Fate would take place in a period of 72 hours or three days. They had to become Shinigamis and get out of there within the time period, or else they would turn into Hollows and they would be exterminated. The most terrifying three days of the Kurosaki siblings had just begun.

Several hours have passed, and Rika was lying on the ground face-first. Each time those worms ate away at her Chain of Fate, she was sent cringing to the ground in absolute pain with tears pricking at the edges of her eyes. She knew she could not physically climb up the hole, not with her arms binded behind her back. Urahara had warned her that if she started to feel hungry, that meant bad things were going to happen to her. She did not feel hungry, at least not yet.

"It's been almost 70 hours now, Kurosaki-san," Urahara updated her. From the look of surprise on her face, it appeared she did not think so. "Perception of time is a little off in the Shattered Shaft. The final encroachment will begin in about five more sessions. As a warning, it will be nothing like what you've been through so far."

"And then I'll turn into a Hollow?" Rika stated the obvious.

"If you do, I'm afraid I'll have to kill you," he told her with no signs of joking. Simply put, it was a do-or-die thing to turn from a Plus to a Shinigami. She forced herself to calm down and began to think things out. Hopefully, those detested worms would not appear and interrupt her thought process with sheer blinding pain.

From what she had learnt so far, Pluses, Shinigamis and Hollows were all spiritual beings. So that meant she had to do something in her current state. Something to do with her soul. But what? That was the missing link. She had only recently found out that Pluses became Hollows when their Chain of Fate eroded all the way. So what about how Pluses became Shinigami? Surely it was not by this method! She then remembered Rukia saying something about a school for aspiring Shinigami.

"Urahara-san! How does someone in Rukongai become a Shinigami?" she asked as she brought herself up to a sitting position. Urahara's eyes twinkled, seeing how desperate she was for information about Shinigami. He re-explained how souls with sufficient reiryoku would be inducted into the Shinigami Academy to learn how to control it. No, that was not the information she was looking for. She already knew all that! In fact, she did not even know what she was looking for. She was reaching out in the dark, hoping to find something that could help her.

"What does the Academy teach?" she asked another question. Urahara supplied her with all the relevant answers. In the end, none of the answers helped her at all. What did Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohou and Kidou have anything to do with her situation right now?

...Wait! Zanjutsu! There was a hint there! She clearly remembered Renji's sword. Zanpakutou, was what he called it. He had taunted Ichigo about how he could not even ask his own sword its name. The sword seemed to hold a lot of significance in regards to the Shinigami. Before she could ask, encroachment began once again. She collapsed to the ground in agony and bit her lip to prevent herself from screaming out.

"What... is a Zanpakutou... to a Shinigami...?" she wheezed out when the pain subsided.

"A Zanpakutou is the reflection of a Shinigami's soul and power," Urahara answered. There! That was the missing link she was looking for! She did not know why, but somehow she knew that was it! It jogged her memory of the fact that the very first time Ichigo became a Shinigami, he was already wielding a Zanpakutou. Now she needed to call out her own Zanpakutou in order to avoid turning into a Hollow.

"How do you ask a Zanpakutou its name?" she asked. That was the key question. Urahara smiled almost proudly at her and told her about Jinzen. Unfortunately, she did not have the time to meditate. She was probably only a few more steps away from having her Chain of Fate totally eroded. She tried going for a gamble. Perhaps if she was unconscious, her soul might recognize the fact that she was in a vulnerable state and do whatever it took to try and keep her alive. Hopefully, the soul would connect with her inner world and send her consciousness to it. "Urahara-san, please knock me out!"

"As you wish, Kurosaki-san..." he placed a palm in front of her face. Leaves magically appeared around her and fell to the ground slowly. As she watched them, she began feeling extremely drowsy before everything went black.

**Author's Note: The training to get Shinigami powers is now proceeding just as Urahara planned. There will be no changes to Ichigo's training, and Rika will deal with her own training her way. The unknown individual will also be revealed in the next chapter. A small spoiler would be that it's an OC as well, and it will be based on many sources besides my imagination, primarily from video games. If you can recognize which video games I borrowed ideas from for it, good for you.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	8. Trials Of The Shattered Shaft: Part Two

"...up! Wake up!"

Rika awoke to a voice. Her eyes snapped wide open as she took in her surroundings. She was no longer at the bottom of the Shattered Shaft. She now found herself in an endless snow plain with a wooden cottage somewhere off to the side. Away in the far distance was a heavily snow-coated forest. As if to make itself known, there was a super-imposed view of the full moon in the starry night sky.

"This is...?" she asked no-one in particular, totally forgetting about the person who woke her up.

"Hey, don't ignore me!" someone demanded angrily. Startled, Rika turned her head to see a young girl, looking about eleven years of age, glaring at her with her cheeks puffed angrily. She could certainly be passed off as an albino with her pale complexion and light grey hair. Her hair reached the middle of her back and she had a large piece of white fabric tied into the shape of a bow at the back of her head. Her eyes were red, and in place of pupils there were slits. Her ears also seemed slightly more pointed than a regular human's.

She was wearing a white coat over a grey dress. Her white coat covered nearly all her dress, leaving only a small portion of the blouse visible. Her coat was buttoned up and it opened up at the bottom, not hiding the long grey skirt that went past her knees. The sleeve collars of her coat were also the same grey. There was also a small cape attached to the coat. Tied around the collar were two white wool balls attached to a string. They were actually bells, as they jingled with a pleasant tone when she stalked up to Rika. Rika turned her eyes downwards and saw white stockings that probably went up to her thighs and simple white shoes.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she quickly apologized to her. "Do you live in that cottage, little girl?" That only irked the girl even more.

"I'm not a little girl! I'm a Zanpakutou!" she exclaimed angrily and blatantly ignored her question. Rika only stared at her until her exclamation struck home. She then remembered requesting Urahara to knock her out in a desperate attempt to somehow contact her Zanpakutou. Apparently, this little girl was the spirit.

"Um, are you-?"

"Yes, I am your Zanpakutou," the girl interrupted quickly. "My name is *********. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kurosaki Rika," she performed a graceful curtsy.

"Um, I didn't get your name... Can you repeat yourself?" Rika had the grace to look embarrassed and sheepish at having missed a clear introduction when the trees in the forest ruffled their leaves. The spirit looked dismayed but did as requested. Again, the trees ruffled their leaves. She did not know why, but realized that for some reason, the trees in the forest ruffled their leaves _extremely_ loud whenever she tried to hear the spirit's name, blocking out her hearing.

"I do not blame you for not hearing my name. Neither is the forest to blame. We have only just met, after all," she sighed in resignation.

"Where is this place?" Rika asked, looking around in wonder.

"This is your inner world, Rika. I live here," the spirit replied. "I rather like the cottage. You have good taste."

"Um... Thank you...?" Rika was unsure how to respond to that praise. She had no hand in the creation of her inner world, or at least she believed so. She quickly remembered what she was here for but before she could ask, the spirit answered.

"If you wish to manifest me, you should find your Shinigami powers somewhere in this world," she told Rika. "You should hurry, before you turn into a Hollow and I disappear." Ishida's demonstration of his ability to manifest Spirit Threads came to the front of her mind.

Having materialized them once before, she knew what the sensation felt like. White ribbons soon appeared all around her, attached to various objects in her inner world, but there was no red one. _'Wh-What...? Where is it?' _she panicked mentally. As a result, she lost focus and the ribbons disappeared from her sight.

"Are you having trouble finding it?" the spirit asked, having gotten on all fours and doodling in the snow with her finger. "I already told you your powers are somewhere here." Steeling her resolve and not wanting to turn into a Hollow, she called upon the Spirit Threads once more. Again, there was no red one.

"Where is it...?" she looked around desperately, verging on the brink of panic. The spirit ignored her as she continued doodling. There were too many threads for her to follow each one individually to see if anything was amiss. She nearly broke down in tears at her apparent failure. She turned her eyes to the spirit in despair, and noticed there was no thread coming from her. It was not possible, unless she was hiding it from her. The spirit noticed her gaze and turned her eyes upwards.

"Yes?" she asked, getting back to her feet.

"Can I have my Shinigami powers please?" Rika asked politely. She held her breath, hoping that the spirit was simply hiding her powers and preventing them from being sensed. She only smiled and a sheathed Zanpakutou materialized in her open hands. Rika let out a huge sigh of relief that her guess was right. The spirit was only waiting for her to ask for them.

"Here you go," she held out the katana.

"Thank you, little girl," she accepted the sword gratefully. When she took it, the world started to fade from her sight. The last thing she saw before total darkness was the spirit's indignant face.

"I'm not a little girl! I'm a Zanpakutou!" she screamed childishly even as her voice disappeared. The next thing she knew, she was suddenly out of the hole and standing in front of Urahara, Jinta and Ururu. She looked down and saw herself clad in the clothes that all the Shinigami wore. Attached to her hip was the Zanpakutou that the spirit had given her. Rika had little knowledge of katanas and could only guess that it looked fairly standard. The only thing unique was the guard that vaguely resembled the shape of a cat's face. She fondly took it into her hands and hugged it.

"'Not a little girl, but a Zanpakutou', huh?" she whispered before putting it back to her hip.

"Congratulations, Kurosaki-san! You have managed to obtain your Shinigami just before the final encroachment!" Urahara praised. Then at the fall of a hat, his jovial smile turned serious. "Now we wait for your brother. If he fails, we will have to kill him. If that happens, you will be the first thing he goes after."

The time spent waiting for him to appear was crawling even slower than a snail. The minutes seemingly turned themselves into hours. That was how Rika felt as she anxiously waited. Suddenly, a blast of reiatsu could be felt coming from Ichigo's hole. It was so powerful a miniature earthquake occured in the basement. A peak into Ichigo's hole revealed him to be screaming in absolute pain as white liquid poured out of his eyes and mouth. The liquid gathered around the right side of his face and slowly formed the shape of a mask before moving to the left bit by bit.

"Nii-san!" Rika tried to go over to him but was held back by Urahara before she jumped into the hole. He explained that although he was turning into a Hollow, he was totally out of sequence. Since the mask was forming first, he still had a chance to become a Shinigami. Rika forced herself to stay put while her brother's screams of torture rang throughout the air. She almost tore her eyes away from him as the mask nearly enveloped his entire face. Tessai decided not to take chances and finished his binding spell to kill him. She pleaded for him to stop but he could not hold him down any longer. A rectangular metal object appeared in mid-air and dropped into the hole, igniting a huge explosion.

"NII-SAN!" Rika screamed in despair as Urahara threw her and the two children to the ground and covered them protectively. Jinta pointed out a flaming object that escaped from the explosion. All eyes focused on it as it shot around randomly in the air before crashing violently into the ground. When the dust cleared, Ichigo was standing there in Shinigami clothing... along with a Hollow's mask.

"Nii-...san...?" Rika called out cautiously. Just like the two children, she was not sure whether the mask was just that: a mask. Or, her brother had indeed turned into a Hollow and was only using a Shinigami's form. When he unsheathed the massive sword on his back, the children took defensive stances. He stared at the stump of a sword, before smashing the hilt into his face and breaking the mask to pieces. Slowly, he moved the undamaged portion of the upper mask to the side of his head, revealing himself as a Shinigami.

"Nii-san!" Rika ran up and hugged her brother tightly, clenching the back of his kimono tightly and crying silently into his shoulder. "Idiot... You big idiot... You unbelievable idiot... You unforgivable idiot...!" she weeped, her voice muffled by the cloth but he heard her clearly.

"Congratulations! You have returned to being a Shinigami right on time!" Urahara announced far too happily, opening his paper fan. "Splendid! Lesson two clear!"

"Shut your trap!" Ichigo growled, gently pulling his sister away and smashing the hilt of his broken sword into Urahara's chin. "I swore that if I got out of that hole alive, I'll kill you!"

"Well, that's perfect," Urahara's voice dropped to a slightly serious tone. "Let's use that energy and go straight to lesson three. Kurosaki-imouto-san, I suggest you calm yourself. I will give you lesson three later."

"No, I'm fine. Can we do this all at once?" she requested, wiping her remaining tears away.

"If you insist," he shrugged. "Lesson three has no time limit. Both of you have to knock off my hat once with your Zanpakutou and it's clear."

Ichigo crouched in front of Urahara and swung his broken sword upwards, causing a blue flash of light to shoot up. It did not blow off his hat, but it did cause a small cut.

"Impressive," Urahara praised as Ichigo leapt back to his original position. "Such an attack with a broken Zanpakutou..."

"Of course! If I get serious, I've got plenty more where that came from!" Ichigo bragged, causing Rika to shake her head in dismay. "Forget that 'no time limit' crap! Let's settle this in five minutes!"

"Alright... In five minutes, let's settle this," Urahara drew a katana from his cane. Alarms rang in Rika's head as she knew that sword was a Zanpakutou. It could not be anything else. She drew her own Zanpakutou and held it in a weird position, this being her first time wielding a sword. Ichigo, on the other hand, was being pursued by Urahara and throwing taunts at him. When he grew quiet and slowed his pace down to a stop, she knew he thought otherwise.

"No, nii-san! Don't-" It was too late. Urahara swung his sword and knocked off the remaining pieces of the Hollow mask that still hung on the side of his head.

"You let your guard down," Urahara simply stated. "'This belongs to a guy who's not a Shinigami so it can't be a Zanpakutou. So it doesn't matter if he cuts me,' eh?" He sounded really condescending just then. "You're totally naive. Your sister already figured it out the moment I drew my sword. **Awaken, Benihime.**" Before their eyes, the sword changed shape. It shortened in length somewhat, and the tip changed to a slanted edge. "She's 100% genuine Zanpakutou, this girl."

Scenes involving Zanpakutous flashed before Ichigo's eyes before he muttered, "A Zanpakutou's... name?" Urahara explained that each Zanpakutou had their own name, and Benihime was his Zanpakutou's name. With just one swing, it destroyed a big hill compared to the rock he sliced off earlier. They could clearly see the difference in power.

Rika watched helplessly as Urahara taunted her brother by cutting up his sword like paper until it was down to the hilt. He threatened to kill him if he chose to engage him with only that. At that point, she refused to be pinned down by her own insecurities and charged at him from behind. He smoothly performed a counter-swing which not only stopped her own attack, but cracked her sword as well.

"It seems you have better control of your reiatsu than your brother. But still not quite enough to completely defend against Benihime," he noted. With a simple shove, he overpowered her and sent her tumbling gracelessly on the ground. He resumed pursuit of Ichigo while Rika struggled to her feet.

After catching her breath and giving chase, she halted to a stop when she noticed Ichigo had a different weapon in his hand. It was like a giant cleaver, and did not resemble a sword at all. When he raised his arm into the air, she sensed his reiatsu spike steeply.

_"Get out of the way, you stupid girl!" _a voice screamed in her mind. Deciding not to think about it, she dived to her left just as something roared by her. When it stopped, she peeked behind her and saw everything in its path slashed cleanly in two, including the ground. It gave the image of a canyon in a desert wasteland.

"Kurosaki-san has passed lesson three," she heard Urahara say. She turned her head upwards and saw his figure standing imposingly above her. His hat had a huge clean cut and a few traces of dirt on it, showing that Ichigo had indeed knocked it off. "Now it's your turn to knock off my hat, Kurosaki-imouto-san." With no warning, he tried to stab Benihime into her skull. She quickly rolled away into a kneeling position and held out her cracked sword in a meager attempt to defend herself. "Learn how to wield your Zanpakutou fast, or else you'll die," he told her in a no-nonsense tone.

Rika froze on the spot in sheer terror. This was her first time wielding a sword and she was expected to somehow hold her own against someone who was likely a master swordsman? It was an impossible demand, and she knew it. But her brother did it, right? Then again, he already had some experience.

No, she was only making excuses for herself! She realized that ultimately, it was a fight for her own survival. Showing weakness did not help one survive. That realization gave birth to desperation. With the adrenaline running through her veins, she ducked under a swing and lashed out with one of her own. It only resulted in a 'clang' as steel met steel. She felt him trying to shove her off balance again, so she quickly jumped backwards to make some breathing room for herself.

"I won't die here... I can't die here..." she was beginning to hyperventilate. "I won't... I can't..."

_"Oh, be quiet already! Stop being so pessimistic!" _the same voice sounded in her mind again. Before Rika's very eyes, her vision warped and she suddenly found herself in her inner world. She realized the voice belonged to her Zanpakutou. The spirit looked extremely pissed, and was definitely angry at her. "Are you really that helpless? What happened to your desire to keep your brother safe from his own undoing? What happened to not wanting to tell your family that your brother happened to just die?"

The terror she felt when facing off with Urahara combined with the threat of death came back to hit her full force. Adding that to the knowledge at how utterly useless she turned out to be was too much to bear. The only thing she had accomplished was just talk. When it came to action, she could not do a single thing. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry...!" Rika broke down, the tears flowing unbidden. "I was just so worried about nii-san... I just... I just..."

"You want to protect your brother. You don't want him to shoulder all the burden by himself. You want to protect your family just as much as he does," the spirit filled up the blanks Rika left behind in her sobbing. She was caught off guard when she was suddenly hugged tightly by her wielder who got on her knees to match her height.

"Please help me... I can't do this on my own..." she pleaded to the spirit. The spirit quickly forgot her anger and patted her wielder's head soothingly.

"Very well, Master. I will aid you to the best of my ability. Don't cry. I will always be with you," she told her gently, making them lock eyes. There was a glint of mischievious innocence in her eyes as she helped Rika stand. "Dry your tears and let's play, Kurosaki Rika! Play with-"

Meanwhile, Urahara watched as Rika froze like a statue, staring ahead with blank, unfocused eyes. He recognized those blank eyes as those belonging to a person who was in their inner world. She was probably conversing with her Zanpakutou right now. He grinned quietly to himself. It was the same situation with Ichigo.

Her eyes suddenly regained life as she swung her sword with a grace that was lost to her just moments ago. "Yukianesa!" she suddenly yelled out a name. He watched carefully as her Zanpakutou morphed itself. The blade changed from the customary silver to a pure white, which he noted is similar to a certain Shinigami's Shikai. The guard changed from brown to grey and the hilt turned white with two grey diamonds on both sides. At the base of the hilt were two white wool balls connected by a white string which jingled, revealing them to be bells.

Rika jumped backwards into the air, gathering a sizable amount of reiatsu into her Zanpakutou. Slashing diagonally downwards, spikes of ice rained down at him. He got out of the attack's range, only to be surprised when each spike exploded into a crystal-shaped icicle upon contact with the ground. He guessed that it was a multi-purpose attack. The raining spikes were likely meant to impale the enemy and on contact, explode into ice crystals, trapping the enemy in place if not impaling them three times over. In case of a miss, the crystals would end up as a wall of ice, providing protection.

His hat did not get knocked off and Rika was knocked out cold behind her wall of ice. Ichigo on the other hand, had simply fallen asleep while leaning on his Zanpakutou. The sister had failed lesson three, but knocking his hat off was simply a distraction. The true goal was to unlock their Shikai and both of them passed. Truly, the Kurosaki siblings were exceptionally talented as Shinigami.

**Author's Note: If you haven't guessed already, the unknown individual is Rika's Zanpakutou Spirit. Some of her abilities will be explained in the next chapter. Rika is only beginning to learn how to fight as a Shinigami. She will have a hard time starting out unlike her brother. Ichigo already has experience in fighting and has no problem adjusting from fists to swords. Rika on the other hand, has zero experience in fighting. As mentioned in the previous chapter, Ichigo's training with Urahara does not change. Next chapter will be focused mainly on Rika and how she spends her time training.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	9. Beyond The Inner Snow Globe

When both siblings woke up the next morning, they went straight back to training. Ichigo proceeded with combat training with Urahara while Rika proceeded with Jinzen. She had requested for it despite her brother's insistence to do combat training. Urahara allowed her to do so as he acknowledged the fact that knowing one's Zanpakutou spirit did help the Shinigami grow stronger. Ichigo complained that she was getting off easy with 'mere meditation' while he had to do all the hard work. Urahara could only smile slyly. If Ichigo did not get the importance of communicating with one's Zanpakutou, he would let it be. Perhaps having the importance of it beaten into him in Soul Society was better than simply telling him now.

Rika went over to a quiet corner where all the noise from their training were hopefully muffled enough for her to ignore. Tucking her feet in the traditional Japanese sitting posture, she relaxed herself and placed her unsheathed Zanpakutou across her lap. With one palm on the hilt and the other on the flat side of the blade, she closed her eyes and meditated. She did not know how long she had been trying, but she knew she made no progress when she could still hear the sounds of combat. Just as she was getting frustrated, a mischievious laugh resounded in her ears.

"You look so cute when your face twitched!" she heard her Zanpakutou spirit tease her. She opened her eyes in surprise and found herself in her inner world. She looked around and found Yukianesa standing over her with a cheeky smile. Well, not really standing over her. Her height was roughing the same as Rika in her sitting position.

"Yuki-chan!" Rika was honestly happy to see the little girl. It meant she had succeeded in her Jinzen.

"My name is Yukianesa! Don't go giving me a nickname all of a sudden!" her smile quickly morphed into an angry snarl.

"You don't like it?" Rika's own smile turned into a frown.

"W-Well, it's not that bad, and it sounds kind of cute..." Yukianesa's cheeked flushed with slight embarrassment. She did not oppose it as much as she sounded like she would.

"So it's okay then, Yuki-chan?" Rika smiled at her.

"Fine! But only when we're alone, okay? I won't forgive you if you say it in front of other people!" she pouted at her wielder. Rika let out a small giggle at how cute Yukianesa looked at that moment. "Don't laugh at me! I mean it!" she stomped a foot down in childish frustration. Rika quickly stiffled her giggles and apologized to the spirit, ruffling her hair affectionately. She cried out in protest, once again stating that she was not a little girl but a Zanpakutou. In Rika's eyes though, she was clearly an adorable little girl who was still very much a child.

"Is there a reason you wished to speak with me, Master?" Yukianesa asked, finally getting to the point of Rika's visit.

"I'd like to know more about you, Yuki-chan," Rika replied. She acknowledged the fact that although they were bound together as one, they were not the same person. Yukianesa nodded and led her to the cottage, since they were out in the snow plains when Rika arrived.

Inside, Rika was very surprised to see it was spacious inside. From outside, the cottage did not seem that large. It was as large as an apartment. There was a wooden table and three chairs around it in the middle of the cottage, and a comfy sofa leaning against a wall. There was a television that could be watched from both the table and sofa. At an isolated corner of the room was a well-kept bed which was clearly too big for only a child to sleep in. It looked suspiciously like a bed meant for couples. At another wall there was a refrigerator that was running without any need for electricity. A few feet away was a sink attached to the top of a cupboard. There were no rooms in the cottage at all.

"Yuki-chan, are there other people in this place?" Rika asked. She knew Yukianesa resided in the cottage, but it seemed set up for receiving guests.

"No, there are no other occupants in your inner world other than me, Master," she shook her head as she went to the cupboard. She opened it to reveal stacks of pristine white plates and utensils. She took out two plates and two forks and rinsed them before heading over to the refrigerator. She opened it wide, but somehow the contents within could not be seen by Rika. She eventually took out whatever it was she was searching for and turned back to Rika. In the plates were two pieces of strawberry shortcake.

"Oh, thank you," Rika thanked her.

"There's no need to show appreciation for this food. After all, it's made of reiryoku," Yukianesa cut off a small piece of her cake and ate it with a blissful expression. Rika was beginning to learn that her Zanpakutou had a major sweet tooth with absolutely no negative effects on her well-being. She hesitantly took a small piece of her own and chewed it slowly. Surprisingly, it tasted exactly like the real thing. "To be specific, it's made from your reiryoku," Yukianesa added like an afterthought. Rika dropped her fork in shock at the admission as she stared at her. "There's no need to worry. No harm was done in making these delicacies," she assured her.

It did not sound assuring, though. It was like showing a carpet made of genuine tiger skin and then saying that no tigers were harmed in its making. What, did the tigers strip off their fur like a human changed their clothes everyday? After some serious consideration, Rika realized she was simply consuming something made from her own energy. So that meant she did not have anything to gain or lose by eating the cake. Picking up her fork and taking another bite, she experimented with the food. She realized it did not even make it down to her stomach. The moment she swallowed it disappeared, leaving only the taste behind. When she looked up, Yukianesa was walking back to the table with another slice of cake.

"Master, do you remember the attack you did before you fainted?" Yukianesa asked. Rika looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking her head no. She claimed she remembered how it looked like but had no idea how she did it. "I will teach you in time. But for now, let me tell you about myself." Rika paid full attention to the spirit as she mindlessly ate her own reiryoku-generated cake.

"I'm sure you realize that I'm an elemental-type Zanpakutou. My element is that of ice, and only ice. I cannot generate snow if you are assuming so. I am also able to perform illusions to a minor degree although it is mostly limited to reflective illusions."

"Reflective illusions? You mean like a mirror?" Rika asked quizzically, finishing up her slice.

"Correct," Yukianesa nodded. "However, that is a subject for another time. The most important thing you must know is how to wield me efficiently." Rika nodded her head in total agreement. "Zanpakutou spirits can take up any form imaginable to represent themselves. That means they can be anything from an insect to a dragon, even human. Can you guess what I am? I assure you my form is not that of a human, even though it looks very close to one." Rika scrutinized Yukianesa closely. She was patiently eating her cake while waiting for her answer. She had slightly pointy ears, and her pupils were slit, so...

"A demon?" she blurted out without meaning to. She quickly caught herself and hastily apologized for insulting her.

"Yes, I am considered to be a form of demon." Surprisingly, she was partially correct. A form of demon was her clue. She knew of several beings that were classified as demons but nothing really matched except one.

"A vampire?"

"Close."

"A yuki-onna?"

"Even though my name is written and even means Snow Woman, I am not one."

"I give up. I can't think of anything else."

"I'm a succubus." Rika's mind went blank. A succubus... She had thought of that, but she had pictured it as a scantily clad female with a devil's wings and tail and huge breasts. She could never have matched a succubus to Yukianesa. She looked like she was eleven years old! A girl who was going through puberty! Not to mention she was dressed very decently, revealing no skin at all! "Did I not look like what you imagined?" Yukianesa's eyes twinkled with mischief. Rika could only nod mutely. She let out a small melodic laugh at the look on her face.

"To be precise, I am a succubus that feeds on reiatsu. That is a vital piece of information concerning my Shikai. Please listen carefully, Master." Rika pushed her now empty plate to the side and focused solely on her Zanpakutou spirit. "When you wield me in Shikai, note the maximum amount of reiatsu you have at that point. It is absolutely important that you remember this." She waited for Rika to absorb the information. When she nodded, she continued. "As a succubus, I will be absorbing reiatsu from you as well as the opponent. You will not feel the absorption, but you can sense it if you're gauging how much reiatsu I have absorbed. I will not absorb directly from you, but from the reiatsu you put in your attacks and defense as well as the opponent's. However, contact is a must, hit or guard. If you perform a huge attack and miss, I will not be able to absorb any reiatsu. There are also certain attacks that disallow me from absorbing for a short period of time after usage. Understand?"

Rika processed the information in her head. In simple terms, Yukianesa would absorb reiatsu whenever she attacked or defended. Contact was absolutely necessary, so she could not afford to miss too many times with her attacks. Obviously, dodging blows held much more worth than guarding unless she needed to build up reiatsu for whatever reason. She realized her Zanpakutou required technical ability to be truly efficient. When Yukianesa saw the look of understanding, she continued her explanation of her abilities.

"I can absorb up to two times your maximum reiatsu upon release. Once released, that maximum will be marked as 100%. I will restore whatever reiatsu you have lost if you have been wielding me in my sealed state back to that point. Keep in mind that the maximum amount may be changed depending on the situation and that releasing me at the beginning of a fight is not always advisable. The marked 100% is yours and I won't touch that. The extra 200% goes to me, so that means a maximum of 300%. However, once we reach 300%, I will slowly leak reiatsu out until we return back to 200% to make room for more absorption. From there, the cycle repeats. Any questions so far?"

"What happens if I drop below 100%? And isn't it a waste to leak reiatsu instead of just holding on at 300%?" Rika asked immediately.

"You will feel a noticable fatigue if your reiatsu levels drop below that as a side-effect of the absorption. I am constantly absorbing reiatsu and transferring it to you, with me storing any excess. Meaning, as long as I have reiatsu stored in me, you should not drop below 100%. If you have to, any reiatsu I absorb will be dedicated to bringing your reiatsu levels back to 100%. As for your other question, there is a use for when I'm leaking reiatsu, but for now you do not need to know that."

"Wow... You really are an amazing Zanpakutou..." Rika murmured in awe. Her Zanpakutou seemed so powerful, if she could apply its technical points to maximum efficiency. In her awe, she had forgotten to ask for any drawbacks. Fortunately, Yukianesa did not leave that out.

"Do not think I am omnipotent, Master. If I break, all the excess reiatsu is lost and you have to work with your dwindling reiatsu since I cannot absorb with a broken blade. And, wielding me recklessly can drop your reiatsu levels to near zero. At that point, what do you think will happen?"

"What will happen?" Rika gulped in anxiety mixed with fright.

"Remember how your brother struggled to simply breathe when he was a Plus? You'll suffer the same thing until I can absorb enough to simply make you feel fatigued. Also, the fatigue I'm talking about is spiritual fatigue. Your brother immediately fell asleep after using whatever technique that made that canyon. That was spiritual fatigue. The side-effect of my absorption is also spiritual fatigue. I can't do much to ease physical exhaustion, and spiritual fatigue adds on to it. If you were heavily injured to the point that standing becomes a chore and you struggle to simply breathe due to spiritual fatigue, how badly off do you think you'll be? One drawback of my ability is that you will suffer spiritual fatigue much easier than even unspectacular Shinigami. The other is that reckless usage of my Shikai can drop your reiatsu levels to critical levels. These are two of my drawbacks, and the latter is the most fatal among all of them. Please keep that in mind, Master."

Rika hung her head in concentration. Yukianesa had reinforced the fact that she was a weapon of technique. Something told her the spirit was not going to teach her any destructive techniques at this point in time, though there were hints she had them. Perhaps she needed to train her Zanjutsu skills first. Now that she needed major help with.

"Yuki-chan, can you please help me with Zanjutsu?" she asked her Zanpakutou pleadingly.

"Zanjutsu? Hmm..." Yukianesa tapped her finger on her chin in thought. "No." Rika's hopes came crashing down.

"But why? I-I don't know how to use a sword!" Rika exclaimed.

"You hold it by the hilt and swing the blade at the opponent," Yukianesa deadpanned.

"I tried that already! It doesn't work!" she half-screamed at the spirit. She only gave an incredibly false smile in return. "W-What's with that smile?"

"That's because my Zanjutsu doesn't suit you," she replied. "When I swing my sword, I try to be graceful with a touch of mischief. As for you, I have the image that you are not exactly graceful. And you are definitely not mischievious. Hmph, you're no fun at all." Yukianesa pouted angrily and turned her head away childishly. Rika could only stare dumbfounded. She thought the spirit had a good reason to refuse her but it turned out it was simply because she thought Rika was not a fun person. Maybe she got the graceless part right but...

"Hey, I can be fun too!" Rika retorted angrily from the spirit's ludicrous accusation.

"Oh? Please enlighten me. Is there anything fun you have done lately?" Yukianesa's eyes twinkled with that mischievious innocence that only a child could possess. Oddly, it made Rika nervous.

"Well, I have..." she suddenly trailed off. To her horror, she could not recall anything she had done that could be considered fun recently. The only thing that she could recall was playing soccer with Karin. Karin found it fun, but she did not find it as fun because she did not have the passion for it.

"Is something the matter? Can you not remember anything?" the spirit teased with a gentle laugh, but somehow it sounded mocking to Rika. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment at the fact her Zanpakutou had gotten one over her. If there was one thing she wished to change about herself, it was how easily she got embarrassed. Yukianesa seemed to be having the time of her life laughing at her predicament.

"Stop laughing already! So I didn't do anything fun recently, okay?" Rika admitted angrily. Yukianesa stopped laughing, but still gave her a teasing look.

"Oh?" she noticed Rika had grabbed fistfuls of her hakama as she glared at her. Her hands had landed on her lap when the embarrassment first set in and she seemed to have gripped them without knowing it. She nearly broke out in giggles at the look on her wielder's face.

"What's so funny?" she demanded.

"You look so adorable, Master!" the spirit stated before bursting into uncontrollable giggles. "Did you realize you were pouting just a second ago?" Rika turned incredibly pale at that revelation. She had thought she was mature enough to avoid pouting. Apparently not, since Yukianesa had spotted her doing so just now. She quickly brought both her hands to cover her entirely red face. That only turned her giggles into laughter.

"I'm leaving!" Rika declared, roughly shoving the wooden chair backwards and stalked out of the cottage feeling extremely humiliated. She heard Yukianesa say they would meet again soon. She sounded entertained, and it was probably from all the teasing Rika suffered at her hands. As she looked towards the vast snow plains, she realized she did not know how to get back to the outside world. She decided to meditate again to hopefully leave her inner world. Before she was even ready, she suddenly found herself seeing the wasteland of a basement. Sighing tiredly, she discovered that getting out was so much easier than getting in her inner world.

When she got to the middle of the wasteland, her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when she saw the damage done to the terrain by Ichigo and Urahara. It appeared that they have settled their training session for the day. She made her way to where Tessai was with the two children.

"Oh, Kurosaki-dono. Have you made any progress with Jinzen?" he asked, gently adjusting his square glasses.

"Yes. We had conversation," Rika nodded. Tessai merely nodded, knowing not to ask about the details. She heard Urahara call an end to the session.

"Did you learn anything?" Ichigo asked when he came next to her.

"Just a little," she replied.

"Just a little? Shouldn't you be learning how to swing your sword instead?" he cocked an eyebrow at her presumed lack of progress. She was not lying when she said she learned just a little. She could tell Yukianesa was holding back a lot from her. It was probably from a lack of trust. They had just met, after all.

"Your sister's Zanpakutou is unlikely to be a power-type like yours, Kurosaki-san. She still has to learn the basics of sword fighting, so meditation is a good start for her," Urahara supported Rika when he came over to pick her up. "Now then. It's time you learn the basics, Kurosaki-imouto-san. This way, if you please."

He led her to an area away from the recently destroyed section and showed her a few stances she could use. Ichigo watched boredly as Rika went into a clumsy stance in an attempt to imitate Urahara. She even stumbled on her own two feet once. Urahara patiently corrected her, occasionally giving advice on how to get into the stance properly.

"As if the enemy would give you time to get into fancy stances," he muttered under his breath. Jinta happened to hear him clearly.

"If you haven't noticed already, carrot-head, her Zanpakutou isn't as big as yours. She can't afford to go swinging it around like you," Jinta retorted rudely. Ichigo glared at the red-head, who glared right back. Before they could get into an argument, a warning from Tessai shut them up nicely.

For the remainder of the ten days, it would be Ichigo sparring with Urahara and Rika either exercising her stances or doing Jinzen. Unfortunately, her Jinzen sessions produced nothing other than her snapping out of her meditative state with an extremely red face due to Yukianesa embarrassing and humiliating her each time. Despite that, Rika thoroughly enjoyed the spirit's company. Her child-like qualities quickly grew on her, and she began to consider her as her own 'personal' little sister.

Rika had only started Zanjutsu training on the last two days. Urahara had focused on bringing Ichigo's power out, while he focused on making her fight more smoothly instead of a nervous wreck. She was prone to forgetting her basic stances when pressured and her Zanjutsu would resemble a street thug swinging around a metal pipe.

He had given Ichigo a speech about fear being utterly useless in a fight, Ichigo was able to respond with calling up a massive amount of power. Urahara matched that power evenly and when they released some sort of energy wave from their Zanpakutous, a massive X-shaped canyon was formed in between them.

Unfortunately, Rika did not have the same amount of success. In fact, it was an utter failure. When he gave her the same speech, Yukianesa refused to co-operate, let alone allow Rika to wield her Shikai. She had Rika pass a message to Urahara, which was to not stick his nose in trying to force out her power. She would teach Rika to wield that power, not him.

With a mildly surprised look on his face, he slowly released his gathered reiatsu as Rika apologized on behalf of her Zanpakutou, pleading for him to forgive them. She suddenly winced as if somebody had just screamed next to her ear. Nonetheless, he had seen her resolve and was satisfied. He sealed his sword back into his cane and hid his smile beneath his fan as he watched Rika start arguing with her Zanpakutou in her grip. He would enjoy the entertainment while it lasted. He noted that while Ichigo had abnormally massive amounts of reiatsu, Rika had an abnormally close connection with her Zanpakutou. The sight of her shouting at a sword and responding to a voice only she could hear showed how easily they could communicate with one another. He watched with amusement as her shouting descended into yelling. She made a move to throw her sword away in frustration before stopping herself. Her angry expression morphed into horror at her own actions before apologizing profusely to her Zanpakutou. She then switched into a submissive look and Urahara could only guess she was being yelled at by her Zanpakutou spirit.

Rika never realized she was not even concentrating to hear her spirit's voice. Normally, the Shinigami had to enter Jinzen for conversation to take place or the Zanpakutou spirit had to drag them into their inner world forcefully so they could talk. Rika was making conversation with her spirit like it was an everyday thing. It was not particularly impressive, but it was still an incredible feat that even experienced Shinigami had trouble accomplishing. In fact, most Shinigamis did not even talk to their spirits as much as Rika had in ten days for their entire careers. Once they had gotten their Shikai, most of them stopped doing Jinzen regularly. Some even stopped entirely.

"What the hell is she doing...?" Ichigo asked himself from where he was resting, a large sweatdrop forming at the back of his head. He was worried, absolutely worried. How was his sister going to help him when stuff like this kept happening for most of her training? It was rare for him to feel any sort of disappointment for his sisters, and that feeling was quickly making itself known to him. He shook his head subtly and prayed she would improve quickly. Urahara noticed his movements and shook his own head in slight disappointment for the eldest Kurosaki child.

_'If only you knew, Kurosaki-san...' _he mused in his thoughts.

**Author's Note: For this scene, Ichigo does not even want to know of Jinzen and focused all his efforts on Zanjutsu, brushing it off as 'mere meditation'. Rika has given Jinzen priority over Zanjutsu. She will not totally ignore it, but she will be terrible at it for quite a while. Now to introduce Rika's Zanpakutou.**

**Name: Yukianesa**

**Release Command: Play**

**Type of Zanpakutou: Ice-Elemental Zanpakutou with minor illusion abilities. Spirit has claimed the illusions are of the 'reflective' type. Her element is purely ice, unlike Hyourinmaru and Sode no Shirayuki who are able to manipulate snow as well. A bit of an oddity since Rika's inner world has snow in it.**

**Special Properties: Reiatsu restoration and absorption upon release. Able to store up to two times Rika's maximum reiatsu capacity and maintain her reiatsu levels at maximum. ****Reiatsu is continually being transferred to Rika to maintain her maximum capacity before any excess is stored.** If maximum storage capacity is reached, reiatsu will slowly be leaked to make room for more absorption. Rika's maximum capacity may be changed depending on the situation. The absorption is pretty much a passive ability, like how Hitsugaya's Bankai can be indefinitely restored as long as there is water around.

**Absorption will be stopped and stored reiatsu will be lost if blade is broken. If Rika is unable to restore reiatsu levels back to her maximum capacity while in Shikai, spiritual fatigue will affect her much more easily than normal. Reckless usage of Shikai can drop Rika's reiatsu levels to dangerously low amounts. Spirit has stated that total reiatsu loss is the most fatal drawback among others.**

**Yukianesa requires Rika to have a lot of technical ability to use it to its maximum efficiency. Spirit has been hinted to have 'power-type' techniques. Rika does not know any techniques currently.**

**Rika is struggling with the fact she is forced to learn how to fight at a high level in a very short period of time. No-one becomes an extremely competent swordsman that quickly, especially when you have zero fighting experience. Ichigo is different and can rise to a high level of swordsmanship in that same time period, as he actually has fighting experience and the fact that he has been in a few life-or-death scenarios as a Shinigami already.**

**Rika's intelligence lies in her quick wits, being able to figure out hidden meanings and hints easily. A power-type Zanpakutou like Zangetsu just does not suit her. Yukianesa, being a more technical Zanpakutou, fits her character quite nicely. As a reminder, Yukianesa is an OC. Overall, Rika is not as intelligent as Urahara or Ichigo. In Ichigo's case, he is academically smarter than her and can think up strategies better than her. Rika can only pick up hints faster than him. In Urahara's case, he just happens to know stuff from almost nothing at all. Rika requires at least a hint to even guess what's going on.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	10. Onward To Soul Society

When the ten days were over, they had a week to enjoy the summer festival that marked the start of the summer holidays. When Ichigo brought up the point of why they needed to wait for a week again, Urahara explained that he needed time to construct the gate that connected the Living World with Soul Society. Something bothered Rika about why he needed to build a gate, and told Ichigo to go on ahead while she asked the shopkeeper about something. Once alone, he told her that it was for their allies. They could not use the Senkaimon like the two Shinigamis since they did not have Hell Butterflies to guide them. As for their allies, she would find out who they were when the gate was ready. His only instruction was to leave their bedroom window open at one in the morning after the last day.

That afternoon, the Kurosaki family was busy preparing for the festival. Rika was helping her younger sisters dress in their kimonos while the two males were doing their own things. Once the twins were dressed, she went to take a soak in the bath. She was relaxing in the tub when suddenly...

"Are you enjoying yourself, Master?" she heard Yukianesa ask. This was a regular occurrence since they conversed a lot, only this time her voice was not in her head. Rika turned her head to the side and saw said spirit beside the tub. She had tied her hair into a single large braid and was wearing a white school swimsuit instead of her usual coat and dress. At that point, three emotions ran through her in an instant. The first was shock, since this was the first time she had seen Yukianesa anywhere other than in her inner world. The next was embarrassment. Ever since she hit her teenage years, she always bathed alone and this was the first time someone else was in the bath with her. The incident with her father did not count. Last was utter humiliation, since she was technically being peeked on at no more than two feet away.

Letting out a ear-splitting scream, she scrambled out of the tub and out the bathroom. She hastily wrapped a towel around her body and busted into her shared room with Ichigo. Needless to say, he was shocked and embarrassed at seeing his sister clad in only a towel that was threatening to drop to the floor if not for her grip.

"H-Hey, Rika! What's wrong? Why did you scream?" he asked as he quickly shook away his embarrassment. She only pointed a shaky finger to the open door. When he looked that way, a girl dressed in mostly white came into the room. Yukianesa was back in her usual outfit again.

"S-S-S-She peeked at me!" she screamed. "In the bath!" Ichigo narrowed his eyes dangerously at the girl.

"Alright, who the hell are you and how did you get into our house?" he snarled.

"Good afternoon, Kurosaki Ichigo-san," she curtsied in greeting, totally ignoring his questions.

"Answer me!" he barked at her. Before she could answer, their father and sisters arrived outside their room.

"What's the matter, Ichigo, Rika?" Isshin asked, looking around in their room for anything weird or misplaced. Yuzu did the same while Karin locked her eyes on the girl that her twin sister or their father could not see. That meant it was some sort of spirit.

"No... No, never mind... Otou-san, Yuzu-chan, Karin-chan, please leave," Rika's breathing slowed back down to normal. With uncertain eyes of the first two, the trio left. She gave a dirty look to Yukianesa who glared back before breaking eye contact to close the door.

"What's with that look?" she asked, slight irritation in her voice.

"How and why are you here?" Rika asked, this time ignoring the spirit's question. Ichigo watched the girl suspiciously in case she did something. Rika apparently knew the girl, so he let her deal with her. He did not know that the girl was his sister's Zanpakutou spirit.

"I'll explain how another time. As for why..." the twinkle in her eyes made Rika fidget uncomfortably. "Oh, I don't know? Perhaps to see how cute you are when you blush?" As if in response, Rika's face turned bright red as she remembered what happened in the bathroom. "Aww... You're so cute...!" the girl cooed at Rika as though she was a cute little animal.

"Enough. Whoever you are, brat, I know you're a spirit. But what gives you the right to peek at my sister when she's bathing?" Ichigo questioned the girl.

"Because I love her," she responded with an answer neither of them expected. The blood rush to Rika's head was too much for her and she ended up fainting from sheer embarrassment. The girl erupted into uncontrollable giggles at her reaction. "It was only a joke, yet she gave such an amusing reaction. Very cute, don't you think?" With a twirl and a pull of her small cape, it lengthened to cover her entire frame before she abruptly vanished, leaving a bit of diamond dust as flair.

Grumbling curses at the girl under his breath, Ichigo picked up his sister and put her on her bed. He then left the room to inform his family of her current condition. He told them that the ghost of a little girl was attracted to Rika and had peeked at her in the bathroom. After that, they ran to the room and Rika had fainted. Isshin considered canceling their trip to the festival but eventually decided to wait since it was still early in the day and the festival would only be open in the evening. Rika fortunately revived herself in time and the family enjoyed themselves at the festival.

When the promised day arrived, Rika decided to set off for Urahara a little earlier since she had a personal request to ask from him. Her request was for Urahara to take care of her body since she did not want to use a Mod Soul. He gladly agreed to do a simple task. He knocked her soul out of her body and had Tessai deposit somewhere. Although she was worried about where that 'somewhere' was, she trusted them. She asked how they were going to maintain her body. He told her that her body would be placed in statis so it did not require nutrients to stay alive.

The first of Ichigo's allies to arrive was Inoue Orihime. They exchanged uncomfortable stares, not recognizing the other at all.

"Um... Who might you be?" Rika asked politely, not wanting to get on the wrong foot of any of her brother's allies.

"I'm Inoue Orihime! It's nice to meet you!" the girl perkily introduced herself. "And you are?"

"...I'm Rika. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Rika gave a small bow. She purposely left out her family name, not wanting to reveal her connection to Ichigo. He had told her to never mingle with him at school for her own safety unless he called for her. So far he had never done so other than for her to guard his body when he had to do Shinigami duties. It was no surprise she never knew any of her brother's friends. She was sure this was one of the two stated individuals that had been affected by Ichigo's reiryoku.

Next to arrive was Sado. Even though his eyes were hidden behind his bangs, Rika could feel his questioning glance on her.

"Um... I'm Rika... It's nice to meet you..." Rika left her sentence for him to finish. She recognized him from the cockatiel incident, and did not want to refer to him as Chad. She figured it was a nickname Ichigo coined for him.

"Sado Yasutora. A pleasure," his introduction was quick and to the point. Just like that, their conversation had abruptly ended, leaving Rika with an uncomfortable silence.

Lastly was Ishida. Rika frowned deeply when she recognized his face, and only muttered a quiet hello. She did give him the proper respect, addressing him as Ishida-senpai. She had a severe dislike of him, remembering how the foolish challenge he presented to her brother nearly had her end up as Hollow food.

"If I remember, you are Rika, am I right?" he asked, using his index finger to push up his glasses. She nodded in response, slightly curious as to why he wanted to talk to her. He did not seem like the type to socialize unless necessary or spoken to first. "I do not know what reason you have for becoming a Shinigami, since when we first met you were still an ordinary human with exceptional reiryoku. Although I hate Shinigami, I apologize sincerely for nearly causing your death." He bowed his head a little to show sincerity.

"Um, okay... It's fine, Ishida-senpai," Rika mumbled unhappily, prompting him to raise his head. Perhaps she would forgive him over time, but there was no way she was going to forget being surrounded by Hollows at all sides. She finally spotted her brother running over.

He was just as surprised at seeing who their allies were, and even more by the talking cat that was named Yoruichi. They proceeded to the basement where there was a massive hollow square structure built there. Urahara explained its purpose, and it was to convert living particles into spiritual particles, otherwise Inoue, Sado and Ishida would not be able to go to Soul Society. Yoruichi then spoke, stating that once they jump in, they have to keep running. He warned that if any of them had any doubts, they should turn back.

"I'm counting on you to keep Ichigo in line, little sister," he pointedly told Rika. Rika 'eep'ed in response, darting her eyes over to Ichigo and his friends nervously. Ichigo had an uncomfortable look on his face. "What's the matter? Don't tell me you didn't know this was Ichigo's younger sister," he revealed their connection. Ichigo refrained from slapping his forehead in frustration while Rika hesitantly stepped out to properly introduce herself.

"My name is Kurosaki Rika, Kurosaki Ichigo's first little sister. It's a pleasure to meet you," she gave her complete introduction and bowed deeply.

"I've never heard of Kurosaki-kun having a third sister!" Inoue gasped loudly in surprise with Sado grunting in agreement.

"Barring Ishida, the two of you never met her until now," Ichigo told them.

"But! But!" Inoue could not bring up the subject she wanted to talk about. Fortunately, Ichigo got the hint.

"She was in the back when your brother was at the clinic. That's why you never met her then," he gave her the answer to her unsaid question. No further questions were asked before they steadied themselves and jumped into the gate.

As they ran, they found themselves in an eerie looking place which had bones of various people all over the place. Yoruichi explained that it was called the Dangai and is a place that is in between the Living World and Soul Society. They kept on running until they heard something came after them. Looking back, they saw a train-like thing chase after them. Yoruichi urged them to keep going, but it eventually got closer. Inoue used her Santen Kesshun in an attempt to hold it off. It broke through after being held back for a few seconds and they found themselves suddenly free-falling towards the ground.

After getting back to their feet, Yoruichi reprimanded Inoue for her actions before proceeding to explain that the area they landed in was called Rukongai. It was where Pluses lived after death in the Living World. Rika noticed the residents were scurrying into their homes at the sight of them but decided not to bring it up. Ichigo spotted the tall white buildings in the distance and asked what they were. Yoruichi explained that the buildings were in an area called the Seireitei, where Shinigamis live and where they were headed. Eager to get this over with, he rushed towards that direction. Rika called for him to stop and go with the group but was ignored.

Halfway there, a gate crashed down in front of Ichigo. A giant came down from the sky and landed in between the gate and Ichigo. After exchanging a few words, the giant introduced himself as Jidanbo before attacking him with a giant axe. It was easily stopped by Ichigo who blocked with his Zanpakutou with only one hand. Impressed, he took out another axe and smashed them repeatedly into Ichigo.

When the dust cleared, Ichigo was still standing with no signs of injury. Asking if he was done, Ichigo smashed both the axes in a mighty swing. The giant cried over the loss of his precious axes and Ichigo awkwardly tried to comfort him. To the group's surprise, he was easily consoled and offered to open the gate for them. When he did, though, his eyes widened in shock.

In front of him was a man with silver hair, and Jidanbo was scared of him. He attacked the giant and caused a huge slash on his arm, making him drop that arm in pain. Ichigo rushed to his defense and confronted him. He only got himself forcefully ejected from the gate along with Jidanbo. The group rushed to them, with Inoue using her powers to heal the giant's mutilated arm.

When the villagers saw that act of kindness, they warmed up to them and the chief allowed them to stay at his home for the night. Before they could get settled in, a rough-looking man showed up riding a huge boar. He was in high spirits until he laid eyes on both Ichigo and Rika. He rudely got in the face of Ichigo and demanded why Shinigamis were in the area. He turned to Rika and spat at her. His spit landed on the sheath of her Zanpakutou, and Rika immediately saw red.

She took a big step forward and delivered a massive slap that echoed throughout the house. The slap sent the man spinning on his feet twice before he stopped. When he recovered from his grogginess, she reached out and grabbed his shirt to pull him slightly downwards so their faces met at equal height.

"How dare you spit on my Zanpakutou! I don't know what your problem is with Shinigami, but we haven't even done anything to you! What's with you?" Rika yelled at him, who only glared back with a hatred burning in his eyes. "Apologize to my Zanpakutou now!" The group stared at Rika and the man with wide eyes. Ichigo had only seen her act this way once when she witnessed Yuzu being bullied, and it still scared him.

"Yoruichi-san, why is Rika-chan so angry he spat on her sword?" Inoue whispered down to the cat.

"A Zanpakutou is like a partner to a Shinigami. For her to react this way shows how much she cares for her Zanpakutou," he explained.

"Who would apologize to a Zanpakutou anyway?" the man snarled defiantly. Rika's Zanpakutou acted up on its own almost as a response, glowing a bright white. Rika herself did not notice, but everyone else did. The man's chest was suddenly encased in ice at the front and he tried to back away but Rika held him in place with fury blazing in her own eyes. When the ice expanded, he desperately apologized before he could be frozen to death. The Zanpakutou did not cease glowing, but Rika let him go and it was enough for him to break free. Only when contact was lost did the glowing cease. Snarling spitefully at him, she turned to ask the chief if there was any place she could clean her Zanpakutou. He told her there was a river nearby she could use. Thanking him gratefully, she left the group to clean her Zanpakutou. Just before she left, a panicked look appeared on her face.

"J-Just hold on a minute! You'll be clean soon, okay?" she pleaded to someone who was not there before rushing off. When she got to the river, Yukianesa materialized herself next to her. It no longer surprised Rika as she had done so several times during the week-long wait. When asked about it, she only mentioned that it was a secret.

"How dare that uncouth ruffian spit on me!" she was clearly livid. She proceeded to go into a rant which Rika half-listened to while washing the katana and sheath delicately. "Hey! Are you listening to me?" she yelled at her wielder.

"Yes, yes. I'm listening, Yuki-chan," Rika replied distractedly as she proceeded to dry her Zanpakutou.

"Hmm..." the spirit cleared did not believe her. "What did I just say?" Rika suddenly paused in her task. Noticing the tell-tale blush that came from embarrassment, Yukianesa became even more livid. "Why you...!" She directed her anger at Rika who tried to placate the spirit with apologies. Her angry frown eventually turned into a cute pout when she huffed and told her not to ignore her again.

"Yes, Princess," Rika proceeded to ruffle her hair affectionately. The spirit was not expecting it and was dazed for a moment after she stopped. Yukianesa then exploded into childish fury as she stomped her foot in anger.

"I'm not a little girl! I'm a Zanpakutou!" she screamed. The two exclamations were quickly becoming her usual response to whenever Rika treated her like a child. Yukianesa definitely behaved like a spoilt little girl but she herself refused to even acknowledge that. She then remembered how Rika addressed her just seconds ago. "Princess?"

"You're the only one in my inner world, right? I think it's okay for you to be princess," she smiled down to the spirit. Yukianesa blushed under the praise and tried to hide it by turning away but it was too late. "Yuki-chan, you are so cute!" Rika hugged her from behind and ruffled her hair again.

"I told you I'm not a little girl! I'm a Zanpakutou!" she protested with the same exclamations as she fought to break free. Somehow unable to find the strength to get her wielder off, she went back into the inner world to escape. Rika reattached the sheathed Zanpakutou to her hip as she returned back to the group.

When she returned, the man who had barged in on them was gone. From the look on Ichigo's face, it looked like he got into a fight with the man as well. Yoruichi told them to gather round as he explained their next plan of action. Because approaching Seireitei from the front was impossible, they were to search for an acquaintance of Yoruichi. That person was named Shiba Kuukaku, and had a tendency to move often. Until they find that person, they could not even enter Seireitei. They would set off the next morning.

Morning arrived, but Ichigo stubbornly refused to leave. His reason? He was waiting for that man to return and settle their score. Rika pleaded with him not to get distracted from his goal by such a petty grudge but he still refused. Only after being clawed in the face by Yoruichi did he let go of his grudge to begin the search for Shiba Kuukaku.

"You're not doing your job well, little sister," Yoruichi told Rika in a disappointed tone. She could only hang her head and nod sadly.

"I'm sorry..." she apologized.

"Sorry isn't going to cut it much longer. We're still safe for now, so it's fine. Once we're in Seireitei, you'd better keep him in line." Seeing Rika getting reprimanded for something he did planted guilt in Ichigo's heart. The fighting had not even started yet and here he was already creating trouble. He quietly apologized to her who only nodded her head in acceptance. The group quickly left Rukongai and searched around the outskirts for an instantly recognizable house according to Yoruichi. It did not take long to find the house, and it was instantly recognizable. However, that was not the problem. It was how the house looked that made it instantly recognizable.

**Author's Note: And the Soul Society Arc begins. Rika's role in this arc is to keep Ichigo from being distracted and doing stupid things. But can she really do it? The major shift in this arc happens once they successfully enter Seireitei. Before their departure for Soul Society, Yukianesa is somehow able to materialize herself in the Living World. She does so again in Rukongai. How does she do it? I can only tell you it's neither the result of Rika's many Jinzen sessions nor is she getting close to Bankai. Rika hasn't even fought her first battle yet.**

**How Yukianesa appears on her own will be revealed in the near future along with how she was able to switch clothes. If you wish to guess how, here's a hint: Yukianesa is a succubus that feeds on reiatsu.  
**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	11. Meeting The Shibas

The design was ridiculous to even the worst of designers! The house was fine, just like an ordinary one. The ridiculous part was the two arms at the sides of the house holding up a banner with the name of the person they were going to see and the extremely tall chimney that looked really out of place. Rika was a little disturbed by the props, but a house was a house. The same could not be said for Ichigo and Ishida. They were extremely hesitant to go in, citing that they did not want to be seen entering such a house even though there was no-one around.

They were stopped by two men named Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko. Ichigo commented on how Soul Society was a hassle with all the gatekeepers. After calling them suspicious strangers and handing them a death threat, they saw Yoruichi and immediately turned face with their attitude. They apologized for their rudeness and Koganehiko led them into the house. The first thing they saw was not a room, but a downward staircase. It eventually led to a hallway and their guide stopped at one of the tatami doors. He spoke through the door, probably to the head of the house. He soon opened the door and the group walked in. It was a large empty room with doors on each side. A woman was sitting comfortably at the far end. Four of the six members of the group were shocked that Kuukaku was a woman.

"No-one said she was a man," Rika and Yoruichi spoke together.

"Who are these kids, Yoruichi?" Kuukaku raised an eyebrow at them.

"Actually Kuukaku, I have a favour to ask of you," Yoruichi skipped the question and got to the point of their visit.

"You generally do when you come here. Is it trouble?"

"Probably."

"Alright, let's hear it. I love trouble." Yoruichi explained that they needed her help to get into the Seireitei. After blowing on her pipe, Kuukaku grinned. "Alright, I accept."

"Really?"

"Yeah. If Urahara is in on this too, then I can't say no even if I wanted to. One thing, though. I trust you, but that doesn't mean I trust those kids. As insurance, I'll have one of my minions join you. Well, I call him a minion, but he's my little brother. He's still a useless brat." She spoke through the door and a muffled voice answered back. When she opened it, the man introduced himself with his head bowed.

"A pleasure to meet you. I am called Shiba Ganju. Please think of me if you need anything." When he raised his head, all six visitors stared at him incredulously. It was the same man who bothered them just yesterday! When he opened his eyes, he too stared at them with the same look. Both Ichigo and Ganju stood up and yelled, pointing their finger at each other in a show that they recognized each other. Rika had her face in her palm, almost lamenting the fact that they met again so ironically. When the two men suddenly roared a battle cry, she snapped her head up at them. To her horror, Ichigo and Ganju had started fighting, and right in front of the person they were asking for help.

"Wait, nii-san! Stop this!" she quickly stood up and tried to hold back her brother.

"Let go, Rika! We have a score to settle!" he pulled himself away from her to assault Ganju while he was still staggering from their first blow. He grabbed him by the head and threw him straight through the other tatami door, busting it down.

"Nii-san, this isn't the place to settle it! We're here to get the help of Shiba-san, not for you to fight with her younger brother!" Rika held him back again. Before he could reply, he was hit by a foot to his face and sent to the floor. Ganju grabbed his feet and with evil eyes, rubbed his foot harshly against Ichigo's jewels. His voice went high as he screamed and squeaked in pain. It took a while for him to break free and send Ganju flying to the hallway they first entered in.

"Nii-san! We're guests here! Even if you hate his guts, this is still his house! You can't behave like this! What if we get kicked out?" Rika pleaded with her brother to stop his nonsense. This time she was determined not to mess up in keeping her brother from acting stupidly and if he did, to put him back in line. Still blinded by his fury, he refused to listen to her and was determined to win the petty fight with Ganju. Rika took a quick glance at Kuukaku who was calmly smoking her pipe and quietly watching the two fight. There was surely a limit to how much she could take before she would explode with fury. She really did not want to find out what that limit was. "Nii-san!"

Seeing how Ichigo was distracted by his sister, Ganju saw an opening and was quick to take it. He threw a punch, but the one who had gotten hit was not his target. Rika had heard his shout and turned to face him. When she turned, her face accidentally got in the way and took the blow. She was immediately separated from her brother, staggering back from the punch with all eyes on her. They were all stunned, somehow unable to peel their eyes away. Rika dug her foot into the floor and managed to regain her footing. Her head was hung low, and a bruise could clearly be seen forming on her cheek.

"Now you've done it..." Ichigo growled. "How dare you hit my sister!" He was about to throw a retaliatory punch when he was stopped by Rika.

"Nii-san, enough! It's fine," she told him. "Stop this already. It's really pathetic seeing you like this. Don't you have any basic courtesy for the people of this house? Is this how you ask help from someone? By picking a fight with one of them?" Ichigo was about to give an excuse but his words died on his lips seeing the cold glare she was shooting at him.

"Tch, fine. I'll behave," he dropped the fight and returned to where he sat before, eyeing Ganju hatefully. The younger Shiba had no problem returning that glare.

"I'm really sorry for what has happened and how my brother behaved. Please forgive him," Rika bowed deeply to both the Shibas to express her sincerity before returning to her seat next to Ichigo. Kuukaku took a deep breath from her pipe before exhaling loudly.

"You've got nothing to apologize for, girl," she told Rika. "If anything, it's your brother that needs to do the apologizing. But I'll accept it anyway." Ganju was about to make a snotty remark but was stopped by a fist to the back of his head and sprawled to the floor. "Didn't I tell you to be on your best behavior, you shithead?" she growled as she planted a foot on his back.

"S-Sorry, nee-chan..." he apologized feebly. Ichigo hid his victorious grin behind his hand as he covered his mouth. He had turned his head away to hide it even more, but it quickly vanished after seeing the bruise on Rika's face.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," she replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, why do you ask? Do you know how to perform healing kidou?"

"Huh? Er, no."

"Then don't ask me such a stupid question when you can't do anything to help anyway." Ichigo winced at the harsh tone in Rika's voice. She was seriously pissed off at him now. Sighing heavily, he returned his attention to Kuukaku. After straightening out Ganju, she told Koganehiko to head back outside and help Shiroganehiko prepare while she took the group to another location of the house. While they were walking, Rika's attention was drawn elsewhere.

_"Does it hurt, Master?" _Yukianesa asked in her head. There was no hint of concern in her voice, only simple curiosity.

"A little," Rika whispered under her breath, knowing that she could hear her clearly. She had tried telepathic communication with her Zanpakutou spirit but it did not work. Thoughts were kept private and could not be shared unless spoken.

_"Why did you cover for your silly brother anyway? You could have just left them alone."_

"I did not want to make our first impression to Shiba-san any worse."

_"Really? I was hoping to continue watching them fight. I guess there's no helping it now." _Rika remained silent, feeling that Yukianesa had something else to say. It sounded like she was procrastinating from her grumbling. _"I guess I'll teach you something," _she finally came to a decision.

"What is it?" Rika asked, curious about what she was going to learn.

_"Isn't it obvious? I'm teaching you a technique," _Yukianesa huffed in slight displeasure. _"Place me near your bruise, Master. There's no need to take me out of the sheath." _Rika obeyed her Zanpakutou's instructions and waited for more. A second later, a cooling sensation could be felt on her bruise. Her Zanpakutou was shining with a dim white light as the cooling sensation did its work. She watched it closely and saw a very light tinge of blue covering the white light like a blanket. The blue itself was nearly white in color. When the light disappeared, the cool feeling went with it. The pain was dulled but the bruise was not entirely gone. Rika gave an experimental poke to her bruise to find that it was still sensative. _"This is one of my abilities, Master. I can partially heal any wounds you get in exchange for reiatsu. It's pretty much like healing kidou, only with less effects. Needless to say, the bigger the wound the bigger the price. This time is for free. Next time you'll have to pay with your own reiatsu."_

"Can I use this healing in Shikai?" Rika asked. This ability sounded really useful and it probably was, but why only partially? Was Yukianesa still hiding some details about this ability?

_"Of course. You can use stored reiatsu as a substitute for your own if you have any. You heal with your own reiatsu, and I'll fill you right back up. Be careful when healing in combat. You'll have to focus to make it work and it won't heal if you're fighting. Moving and evading is fine, but no attacking or guarding. That will break my focus and I can't heal you. I can't absorb reiatsu and heal you at the same time. I'm not a multi-tasker. If you try to do so, this ability will drain you of your reiatsu regardless until you can focus enough to manually disable it or your reiatsu totally runs dry. You _do not _want that to happen. Once I've healed whatever I can, I will automatically turn the ability off for you. You'll know the feeling when the ability is stopped. Once it does, I can go back to absorbing reiatsu."_

Rika thought about it carefully. She supposed it made sense if Yukianesa had to focus to heal her wounds. Fight and absorb, or retreat and heal before fighting again. Still, she had questions about this ability. "How do I know if a wound can be healed or has already been healed to your maximum? How will I know when is the best time to activate the healing?"

_"I'll leave those things to you. You're the master, Master," _she told her jokingly. _"But if you really want my opinion, do it after the fight is over when no-one can disturb us. As for whether your wounds are healed or not, how would I know? I'll only know if you activate the ability or I see them for myself."_

"...Aren't you already seeing and hearing everything I do?" Rika asked with a slightly suspicious tone. Yukianesa was contradicting herself, unless she lied about something.

_"I'm trying to absorb reiatsu while you fight. I don't have the time to look at you and decide if you should need healing or not. Decide for yourself, lazy bum. I'm busy enough as it is if you use Shikai."_

"Ah, sorry. I forgot about that."

_"Hmph! You better not forget that!"_

Rika suddenly bumped into Ichigo, bringing her attention back to her surroundings. They had stopped before a metal door that had an 'Authorized Personnel Only' message written on it. Ichigo asked if the blow to her face had messed with her awareness but she assured him she was fine. Yoruichi and Kuukaku had their eyes discreetly pinned on her, having heard her almost inaudible whispering. They were surprised she could speak with her Zanpakutou so casually without the need to concentrate on its voice or Jinzen. They were not the first witnesses to this feat. Urahara held that honor.

Ganju opened the metal door to reveal a huge platform with a circular tower that stretched to the darkness above. Rika was quick to realize the tower was the chimney they had seen before they entered the house. Kuukaku explained that they were going to invade Seireitei from the sky.

"THE SKY?" both Ichigo and Ishida gawked.

"That's right," Kuukaku jutted a thumb at herself in a proud and confident pose. "My name is Shiba Kuukaku, Rukongai's Number One Fireworks Maker!"

**Author's Note: Yukianesa has just revealed an ability of hers. It is the partial healing of any wounds in exchange for reiatsu. It is not that effective, being only partial healing. It does have its good points, with Rika only needing to concentrate on its activation. As long as she avoids combat during its duration, she doesn't have to worry about knowing when to turn it off. Yukianesa will turn it off for her once the partial healing is finished.**

**The drawback of this ability is that if Rika is pressured into fighting while the ability is active, her reiatsu will continue draining uselessly instead of healing her since Yukianesa cannot absorb while healing and fighting would only distract her. If so, Rika has to manually disable it or let her reiatsu run dry, both potentially lethal to her in their own right. The first requires Rika to focus on turning the ability off, giving the opponent precious seconds to press the advantage. The other will inevitably lead to Yukianesa's most fatal drawback: total reiatsu loss.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	12. To Be A Cannonball

Rika's eyes lit up, having figured out what Kuukaku was planning to do. If her guess was right, they were going to be launched over to Seireitei like a human cannonball. But surely it was not that easy, right? The plan was simple and it would work, but Rika was certain the gate was not the only defense Seireitei had to prevent unwanted people from wandering in. She had asked Urahara for details concerning the Shinigamis, asking if they were designed like a military force. The red-haired Shinigami had addressed the one wearing the scarf as 'Taichou'. Urahara confirmed her statement as true. She proceeded to ask if there was anything important to know about them, such as who the figureheads were and if they had divisions of any sort. He was impressed at Rika's foresight, and filled her in. Unfortunately, ever since they arrived in Soul Society, there was no time to share that information with the others.

Kuukaku called up to the twins and told them to raise it up. The room suddenly started shaking, and they could feel it moving upwards. The ceiling opened up, and they could see the sky again. Once the room-turned-platform was fully raised, the house was nowhere to be seen, probably hidden underground. The 'chimney' was actually a cannon aptly named the Kakaku Cannon. The visitors were left speechless and when Kuukaku called them out on it, Ishida thought she was joking. When he mentioned just how insane shooting them up with it was, a glass ball was thrown straight to his face. It rebounded off him and landed in Ichigo's hands. She explained that it was a spirit orb. She told Ichigo to put some reiryoku in it. He did not know how to, leaving Kuukaku stunned at the admission.

"Little sister! Do you know how to put your reiryoku in the orb?" she pointed to Rika. She was about to shake her head no when her Zanpakutou spirit suddenly decided to pop in.

_"Oh! Chance!" _Yukianesa exclaimed without any prior warning to Rika at all, making her scream in shock, in turn making the others jump in surprise.

"What's your problem?" Kuukaku demanded, beginning to get pissed off at the two Shinigamis in front of her.

"I'm sorry! I thought somebody suddenly shouted at me," Rika apologized and tried to pour her reiryoku into the spirit orb after Ichigo handed it to her. Yukianesa had instructed her to never tell anyone that they were talking. Rika was quick to obey, knowing how people had looked at Ichigo and her whenever they paused to talk to ghosts.

_"Listen closely, Master. In order for the healing ability to activate, you'll have to pour your reiatsu into me. This can count as training for it." _Yukianesa slowly guided Rika on how to pull out her reiryoku. Rika could already sense it, so that made things faster. The spirit orb glowed a light blue and a transparent sphere slowly appeared around her. _"Good girl. Remember this feeling well and memorize how to manipulate your reiryoku. At the very least, you won't have to pause and stand still when trying to activate the healing. You don't want to be obvious."_

"Heh... Pretty slow start there, but the barrier's one of the most stable I've seen," Kuukaku praised after inspecting the sphere for a second. "This your first time controlling your reiryoku?" At Rika's nod, her grin got larger. "Not bad, little sister. Not bad at all. Unlike your useless brother." Ichigo bristled at the insult when Rika ducked her head to hide the blush on her face. "Hey, hey, don't lose your concentration! You'll make the barrier explode!" Kuukaku warned, seeing a slight crack on the barrier. Rika quickly refocused on stabilizing the barrier and the crack disappeared. Kuukaku went on to explain that the barrier served as the cannonball. She told them that if they thought the wall was the only thing protecting Seireitei, they were wrong.

_'As I thought. I knew it had to be something like that. If some sort of invasion was to occur, the wall and the gatekeepers would never be enough,' _Rika mused in her thoughts. Kuukaku explained that the wall was contructed by a mineral known as Sekki-Seki. She took out a small piece of that mineral and placed it on a wooden part of the platform. She slammed a hand over it, knocking up some dust. When it cleared, the mineral and a small area it was sitting on was undamaged by Kuukaku's strike. There was a sizable hole around the mineral.

"As you can see, it completely blocks out reiryoku. So opening a hole with reiryoku is impossible. On top of that," she picked up the mineral, and the rest of the undamaged area crumbled as well. "it puts out waves that dissolve reiryoku. In other words, it means Seireitei has a spherical barrier from up in the sky to below the ground. And that's where this comes in," she rapped her knuckles against Rika's cannonball. She explained that after putting reiryoku into the spirit orb, they would be able to create a cannonball that could momentarily penetrate through the barrier. Their created cannonball would be fired though the Kakaku Cannon and then drop into the barrier in one shot. "Any questions?" she asked like a teacher. Ichigo tried to ask something but was quickly ignored and the group was told to dismiss. They were to go to the underground training hall and practice how to concentrate their reiryoku into the orb. She ordered Ganju to help them practice. She reminded them that if even one of them lost their concentration, they would go boom on the spot. Rika carefully released the reiryoku she had been putting in the spirit orb and the barrier faded away. Kuukaku asked if she was still fine after holding the barrier for that long. Rika told her she was still fine. Her reiryoku had definitely been consumed, but Rika felt as though she had only gone for a light jog.

In the practice hall, Ichigo was having the least amount of success in trying to put his reiryoku into his spirit orb. The twin guards were instructing him, but their instructions were everything but useful. All they had Ichigo do was grunt 'Uaaahhhhh!' and 'Uooohhhhh!" over and over again. Inoue, Ishida and Sado watched him worriedly, questioning the way the twins were instructing him. Rika was worried for him too but she was also trying to stifle her laughter no thanks to her Zanpakutou spirit. She never wanted to laugh at her struggling brother, but Yukianesa was having the time of her life making fun of his predicament. When she imitated Ichigo's grunts with almost perfect accuracy except for his voice, even Rika was beginning to find it hilarious.

"Don't laugh!" Ichigo had apparently heard her muffled snickering and giggling. Only after looking at her did he remember she had successfully made a cannonball. He supposed he deserved to be laughed at for not remembering that fact. "Hey Rika, explain how you put your reiryoku into this thing." Rika was all for helping her brother, but Yukianesa was making it a chore by continuing her imitations and greatly distracting her. Rika found herself breaking down into giggles far too often. "How long are you gonna laugh at me?" Ichigo demanded, a tick mark appearing at his head.

"I'm sorry nii-san, but..." Even her apology broke down into giggles. She eventually managed to tune out Yukianesa and guide him through the process like her spirit had taught her. Unfortunately, it did not work out so well for him. The only progress he made was inserting his reiryoku into his orb. Nothing else happened. He had to really focus just to direct his reiryoku to the orb and even then could not make it form a circle. In the end, Ichigo was the only one unable to make a cannonball. Seeing his many failures, Rika tried a more hands-on approach.

"Nii-san, try putting your reiryoku into the orb and I'll form it for you," she offered.

"What's the point in that?" he asked.

"I was hoping that after I do it a few times, you might be able to know what it feels like and can do it on your own."

"Alright, let's try it." Rika learnt first-hand just how potent her brother's reiryoku was. She had to use more of her own just to stabilize and solidify her brother's. After maintaining it for a few seconds, she let it drop. He told her that he roughly got it but she stopped him. She wanted him to be honest with her. Unless he really got it, she would do it for him no matter how many times it took. They worked on trying to get Ichigo's control right all the way until night time when they were informed that dinner was ready. When Sado and Ishida were leaving, Inoue wanted to stay behind. Ishida asked if she was coming, she refused, stating that she was still okay and not that hungry. Her stomach immediately revealed her bluff by growling loudly. Ichigo told her he was fine and that she should go without worrying about him. She tried to deny that and said she wanted to practice more as well.

"Inoue, please," Ichigo told her again and she finally left.

"Nii-san, I'll bring back some food for you. You need some refreshment too. Maybe a bit of food and rest can help you concentrate better," Rika advised.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. I'll rest when you come back with the food. I'll practice on my own for now," he agreed. Rika made her way to the dining area and saw Ishida and Sado eating, but not Inoue.

"Inoue-senpai, why aren't you eating?" she asked.

"Ah, Rika-chan. I'm already fu-" Inoue's stomach growled again, even louder this time. To make it quiet, she punched herself in the gut, only making herself feel worse. Rika was not amused.

"Inoue-senpai, just what are you here for? Are you here to help nii-san or simply to tag along?" her stern tone surprised her seniors. "Are you trying to make nii-san pay attention to you by starving yourself?"

"No, that's not what I was trying to do!" Inoue shook her head in denial. "Of course I want to help Kurosaki-kun!"

"Then please eat. Don't distract nii-san by making him worry about you needlessly." The chef entered the room just then to pass her two packed dinners. She thanked him for the food and turned to leave the dining area. "Please excuse me," she bowed to them before closing the door behind her.

"As much as I'd rather not say it, Kurosaki's little sister is right, Inoue-san. Starving yourself when there's food given to you is really not a good idea," Ishida spoke up a bit hesitantly. "She's already looking out for his well-being. We should leave these things to her."

"Yeah... I guess you're right, Ishida-kun..." Inoue finally picked up her chopsticks and ate her dinner. Rika's words had really stung her. Just as she said, Inoue was not really sure if she was simply a tag-along despite her sincere intentions to help Ichigo. She knew she could not fight, and could only conjure a triangular shield and heal injuries. She realized she was only making Ichigo worry by putting up a false display of strength. He saw through it, and told her not to worry about him. Rika saw through it, and told her not to distract him by making him worry about her.

Rika returned to the training hall and saw Ichigo panting hard with the orb in his hands. They were both utterly exhausted, having worked on his control non-stop. She invited him over to eat and rest for the time being. While they ate, Ganju asked why he was so desperate to save this particular Shinigami. Ichigo told him that he owed her. She saved his life and he wanted to repay that debt. She gave him her powers to protect him and his family, people who she had just met. Because of that, she was arrested and bound for execution. He was not going to be such a worthless guy that would just sit by and let her die. Ganju had a change of heart and showed them a trick he thought up himself.

It was by imagination. He told them to imagine drawing a circle in their minds as dark as they could. The darker the better. Then they had to imagine throwing their whole bodies towards the center. That was how he made his cannonball. He left the room and the siblings were left behind. Ichigo quickly finished up the remainder of his dinner and picked up the spirit orb. Rika watched him curiously. Perhaps Ganju's method might be more effective for Ichigo.

_"You'd better be with him for this one," _Yukianesa warned in Rika's head.

"Huh? Why?" Rika whispered back.

_"That buffoon's method will work, but it's meant to be used for those only beginning to grasp the use of reiryoku. Generally, those souls usually don't have much reiryoku," _she explained._ "In your brother's case, what do you think will happen with his huge capacity of reiryoku, not to mention its potency?"_ Rika immediately realized what she meant. His reiatsu would flare uncontrollably again, although since she was now a Shinigami, it would not endanger her life.

"No! Wait! Nii-san!" She touched the orb just as he pushed a huge amount of reiryoku into it. The reiryoku materialized around them in a huge circle but it was not solidified. Ichigo could finally stabilize his reiryoku enough to form a circle but he was not solidifying it. Rika could feel the house tremble under the force of her brother's reiryoku and knew the others would come to inspect what was going on. When she attempted to solidify his reiryoku, she failed. She had to use so much of her own reiryoku just to tame the sheer amount her brother was putting in that it hurt. Kuukaku came in the room and yelled at him to solidify it instead of continually pouring in reiryoku. When he heard her voice, he stopped pouring reiryoku in and concentrated on solidifying it. Now with him focusing on it, Rika was able to form the barrier for him. The drain on her reiryoku was so much she had fallen to her knees, having only one hand touch the orb while the other was holding her up. She was gasping for breath and sweat matted her forehead.

"I did it!" Ichigo cheered for his own success.

"Not yet, you haven't," Kuukaku disagreed. "Little sister over there is helping you solidify it. Let him do it by himself." Rika slowly removed her hand when Ichigo was ready. The barrier wavered unsteadily but after a while, it remained steady once again.

"Alright!" he cheered again.

"You did it, Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue cheered for him.

"Yeah!"

"Idiot! Don't lose your concentration!" Kuukaku warned. Too distracted to do anything to fix it, the barrier wavered again and cracks began to show. Before the barrier could go boom, Rika replaced her hand on the orb and stabilized it again, making the cracks disappear. She had to use even more of her reiryoku to force out her brother's own from the orb so that the barrier could disappear safely.

"Phew, thanks for the save, Rika," Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief but his sister did not respond back. "Rika?" Instead, she slowly fell face down to the floor, having slipped into unconsciousness. "Hey, Rika! What's the matter? Hey!" He dropped the orb and held his sister, trying to shake her awake.

"She'll be fine," Yoruichi told him. "She just passed out from using too much reiryoku. She probably went past her own limit trying to help you make a cannonball."

"So it's my fault she's this way now?" he asked, fearful for her condition.

"Don't think of it like that. She went out of her way and over her limit just to aid you. Be thankful you have such a devoted sister."

"You're right. Thanks a lot, Rika..." he managed to utter before abruptly falling asleep from his own exhaustion.

**Author's Note: Nothing really changes in this scene, only modified to include Rika's presence. The only change is that Ichigo and Ganju don't bicker with each other. ****Yukianesa is using the spirit orb training as a stepping stone for Rika to better control the healing ability. Next chapter will be the invasion of Seireitei. Rika will have her very first fight there, not counting Urahara's training. Yukianesa will chip in to help every now and then, but she's the type that plays more and works less. Don't expect her to reveal her abilities to Rika that quickly.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	13. Ryoka Troubles

The siblings woke up just before sunrise and told to head up to the platform where everyone was waiting. Once there, they were joined by Ganju who told them about his reason for hating Shinigamis. His older brother was one of them, and he was a genius. He was accepted into the Shinigami Academy on his first try and graduated from the six year curriculum in one year and joined a squad. Five years after that, he had gained the rank of Lieutenant. But he was soon killed. According to Ganju, he was betrayed by the Shinigamis that were his comrades. All that happened while he was still a kid, so he could not remember all the details. What he did remember was the face of the Shinigami that dragged his beaten and dying brother home, and the face of that brother smiling and thanking that Shinigami. He admitted he did not know why his brother did all that but there was one thing he was sure. His brother did not despise the Shinigami. He did not hate the Shinigami.

To find out why, he would come along with Ichigo and the others and see for himself what a real Shinigami was. Kuukaku opened up a hidden entrance inside the cannon and everyone got it. Once inside, Yoruichi gave instructions that they should not separate no matter what. If they encountered a captain, they should run without hesitation. Under no circumstances should they take any unnecessary risks. When they heard Kuukaku begin chanting, that was the queue for them to fill the single orb with their reiryoku.

There was a surprising lack of impact as they were launched. They were quickly proven wrong when their cannonball suddenly shot towards Seireitei at high speed. Ganju took out a handbook that was filled with unrecognizable symbols on all of its pages. Ichigo asked what it was and he told him that it was the continuation spell for the firing method they used to launch. If they wanted to break in safely, they were not to bother him.

He also mentioned that when they were touching the spirit orb, they could feel the emission levels of each other's reiryoku. To ensure success, everyone had to regulate their levels to match each other. Rika knew this well enough and placed herself in charge of regulating Ichigo's reiryoku. Ganju began chanting the continuation spell while the others tried to match their emission levels. It was not easy, since Ichigo's abysmal lack of control over his reiryoku had him pouring in much more reiryoku than the others could handle.

"K-Kurosaki-kun, that's a bit too much," Inoue told him, struggling to match his output.

"R-Really? Sorry." Ichigo took a deep breath and tried to relax, reducing the amount of reiryoku he was pouring in.

"Kurosaki, lower it some more!" Ishida hissed. While he was not struggling, Ichigo's output was still too much for him to easily match.

"I know! I've already decreased it by a lot."

"Ichigo..." Even Sado was starting to have problems.

"I said I know!" Everyone was surprised when their emission levels suddenly matched. "See?"

"It's not you, Ichigo. Rika's the one taking charge of your reiryoku and forcing it to match the rest," Yoruichi corrected him. "You had better start matching it by yourself, Ichigo, before your sister pushes herself too far." Everyone turned to face Rika. She had a look of utmost concentration on her face and her entire face was matted with sweat.

"Everyone, please go as high as you can and match each other. I will..." Rika was also struggling to speak. "...match nii-san's reiryoku with all of yours."

"Will you be okay, Rika-chan?" Inoue asked worriedly.

"I'll... hold."

"Out of curiosity, just how are you going to do this?" Ishida asked.

"I use my own reiryoku to force control over nii-san's reiryoku. And then I stabilize and solidify it along with my own. In this case, I have to use more reiryoku to disperse nii-san's reiryoku from the orb to match everyone's output," she explained.

"That's insane! Not only do you have to put in your own share, you're also using way too much reiryoku just to guide Kurosaki! Stop before you collapse again!" Ishida was appalled at how much work she had to do.

"No...! I can hold until Ganju-san finishes his spell...!" she insisted, though her body was saying otherwise. Her legs were wobbling, threatening to make her fall.

"Rika, that's enough! You don't have to do all this!" Ichigo tried to convince her to stop. At the rate she was going, she was going to die even before the fighting started!

"But if I don't..." Rika turned to look at her brother. "We won't make it safely."

"Never mind that! What's the point if you die?" Rika looked downcast and reluctantly released hold of Ichigo's reiryoku, making everyone struggle to match his output again.

"Let go of the orb, Rika. Rest. I will make up for your share," Yoruichi ordered. Rika lifted her hand away from the orb and sat down, taking in huge gulps of air. She did not get long to rest as Seireitei was rapidly coming into sight and and the group's arguing had made Ganju repeat a line and screw up the continuation spell. They were very fortunate they managed to break through the anti-reiryoku barrier in one piece before they were all separated due the cannonball being dispersed and destroyed. Its destruction caused a shockwave that blew the group apart in five different directions.

Rika was fortunate enough to crash into a small pond and avoid any fatal damage. She quickly swam to the top, surfacing just enough to see where she had landed. She looked around and true enough, Shinigamis were beginning to gather to her location. She also saw the kanji for the number 13 on one of the buildings.

_'This is the worst! I landed up in the center of a division?' _Rika cursed her horrible luck. She quickly searched for an exit and saw one not far away. But as her luck would have it, there were guards there and they were approaching her location. There was no way she would be able to fight them and escape from the gathering crowd in time. She quietly swam over to the edge and tried to think of a plan. The increasing volume of the approaching Shinigamis was not helping her think. When she hoisted herself out of the pond, the sound of water gave her an idea.

She estimated how far they were and when she thought they were close enough, she screamed as loudly as she could and fell backwards into the pond. Underwater, she prayed that the Shinigamis would fall for her ploy. The guards at the gate were the first to respond, pulling her out of the water.

"Thank you very much," she thanked them tiredly. "I was the first to arrive but before I could do anything the ryoka pushed me into the pond. I'm really sorry for being unable to stop him."

"At least you aren't killed. Did you see where the ryoka went?" one of the guards asked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see where he went. But I did see he was not wearing..." Rika did not know what the Shinigami uniform was called. She had to think of something before they got suspicious of her. "...normal clothes. He looked strange," she managed to find her words. The group of Shinigamis arrived just then, and the guards told them to be on the lookout for someone wearing strange clothes. Rika purposely said the ryoka was a male wearing strange clothes and he had pushed her into the pond when he escaped to throw any suspicion away from her. She could blend in easily with any of the Shinigami.

"Thanks for the information. This will definitely help in our search," the other guard thanked. "By the way..."

"Y-Yes?" Rika was suddenly nervous as he eyed her from head to toe.

"How did you get here? This is the Captain's private residence."

"Um, that's because..." _'Why? Why did I end up here of all places?' _she cursed her luck even more. "I'm still unfamiliar with the division and I got lost. I only heard the crash and came here."

"Ha... Unseated Shinigami get lost nearly every time..." he groaned in exasperation. "Follow me. We'll show you the way out."

"Thank you very much!" she bowed. Yes! Her impromptu plan was working! Now she could escape and find Ichigo! As a Shinigami, he was no longer leaking his reiryoku, and instead leaked reiatsu. Being very familiar with it, she could sense him from the start. She was intimately familiar with its feel so she knew where he was. The guards brought her out of the residence and escorted her a short distance away before telling her the directions to their barracks. She thanked them again and left as directed, only to take off once she was sure she was alone and out of sight. She ran through the streets of Seireitei, getting into dead-ends multiple times. No wonder unseated Shinigamis, new recruits she guessed, got lost easily. Rika moved at a steady pace, constantly keeping track of Ichigo's reiatsu. As she headed towards him, she was confused as to why he was not moving much at all. He seemed to be moving all around a general area as if he was... Crap. He already got into a fight? As she rushed to her brother's side, she happened to see Ganju running towards her.

"Ganju-san?" Rika called.

"Oh, Rika! It's great that I found you!" he told her before turning around with a smug look on his face. "Hah! How about now? I've found one of my comrades!"

"...Ganju-san, you don't happen to be in a fight, do you?" she asked worriedly.

"Hm? So you've stopped running and are now hiding behind a lady? How despicable," his pursuer scoffed. Rika turned to see an effeminine man walking calmly towards them with his Zanpakutou drawn. His pose just screamed elegance and he looked like the type that despised anything ugly. She could easily guess he hated Ganju's face and outfit. "One of the ryoka, I presume?" he turned his eyes on her. Rika's response was to draw her Zanpakutou and settle in a defensive stance. "I guess that means you are. As much as I dislike cutting down pretty things, I suppose I have to in this case. Just so you know my name, I am Ayasegawa Yumichika, fifth seat of the 11th Division."

"Kurosaki Rika, ryoka," Rika gave her name in return.

"How courteous," Yumichika commented off-handedly. "However, that courtesy will not save your life." He dashed forward and clashed swords with Rika. He did not miss the panicked look that flashed on her face for a split-second. Feeling confident that he had the upper hand, he decided to play around for a little while. He purposely left openings in his attacks but she never exploited them. He knew she saw them but was too afraid to attack. She stayed firmly in her defensive stance, never letting him get past her, not that he wanted to.

"I see," he backed off a little to give her a false sense of hope. She did not buy it and remained steadfast in her stance. "You seem to be trained quite well. But this is your first time fighting a real opponent, isn't it? I know you saw the openings I gave you. Were you too scared to press the attack?" Rika could only grit her teeth in frustration. She was totally being read by him.

"Is that true? This is your first time fighting?" Ganju exclaimed from behind her. She slowly nodded, never taking her eyes of Yumichika. "Are you serious? Then what are you doing pretending you're a match for him? Let's run!"

"Eh? Wait a- Ganju-san!" Rika was forcefully dragged along as he ran away from Yumichika.

"Go ahead. Run like the unsightly being that you are," Yumichika taunted.

"Shut up already! You can shove all your beauty down your throat before I make you!" Ganju snapped.

"Ganju-san! Ganju-san! You're running straight into a dead-end!" Rika warned.

"Don't worry! Just hang on tight! **Turn to sand, Seppa!"**

He waved his hand in a circular motion and touched the wall, turning the surface around his hand to sand and busting through it. He did that for the next few walls until they nearly fell into a pit. Yumichika caught up to them in the blink of an eye and told them that it was the remains of the old execution grounds. Hollows that were brought back alive were released to fight against the criminals and Shinigamis would watch from the platforms.

"_This_ is the custom that Shinigamis practice?" Rika was utterly disgusted by how cruel the execution was. They made it out to be like some sort of sick game show. "All those innocent souls get sent to Soul Society by these kind of people?"

"You don't have to worry your pretty little head off about it, young lady. That disgusting custom is no longer in practice. Now, only those who fall in can never get back out," he assured her. "Now you may choose. You can die by my blade," he readied his Zanpakutou. "or you can fall in there and die like a dog." The choice was obvious. Rika got into her defensive stance again. "Are you sure you wish to take such a stance? It will be so easy for me to push you over... unless you were hoping to dodge and make me fall. You are too predictable."

Seeing no other choice, Rika switched to an attack stance and charged at Yumichika. Her attacks were easily blocked and parried with hardly any effort on his part. He looked almost entertained as he watched her struggle. His cocky smile disappeared when he saw a bomb heading towards his face. He quickly broke away from Rika and ducked out of the way. She saw her chance and tried to inflict a serious but non-fatal wound on him but he successfully parried her blow.

"Two on one can hardly be called beautiful," Yumichika said with disgust.

"I can say the same thing to you! What is so _beautiful_ about picking on an amateur?" Ganju retorted, putting emphasis on beautiful.

"She certainly is an amateur," he agreed. "but she's not an ally. She's a ryoka, an enemy. Amateur or not, orders are to put her down."

Rika was a little pissed being looked down on like that, but she knew it as the truth. She really was an amateur. That did not mean she would just put her sword down and surrender. Her brother would never forgive her if she did that. She would fight to the bitter end if she had to. Steeling her resolve, she attacked with much more vigor, surprising Yumichika with the increase of power. Ganju, not one to fight fairly, began throwing his bombs at him.

"I see. So the two of you have no plans to fight cleanly. Very well, I will no longer show any mercy. **Bloom, Fuji Kujaku!"** Yumichika released his Zanpakutou. His blade glowed and curved itself into the shape of a sickle.

"He released?" Rika muttered darkly. She really did not need him to start fighting at a higher level. "I can't match him in skill, so I have to at least match his power!"

_"Is it time for me to shine?" _Yukianesa was in good spirits. Even in the face of danger, Rika could hear mischief in her voice.

**"Play, Yukianesa!"** Rika twirled around once, and her sword morphed into its Shikai state, ending with a melodious twinkle of the wool-covered bells.

Yumichika stared at her released Zanpakutou, his eyes hardening at the thought he might have underestimated her. "Your fighting skills are that of an amateur, but you know your Zanpakutou's name?"

_"Because I love her," _Yukianesa replied although no-one else but Rika could hear her. She heard her loud and clear, and could not help but let her face flame up. Despite knowing that no-one heard that, the confession, as fake as it was, still embarrassed her greatly. Not to mention it reminded her of the bathroom incident.

"You don't have to turn that red!" both men yelled at her, causing her spirit to break down in giggles. "I'm not even complimenting you!" Yumichika added.

"Yukianesa, stop it already! It's embarrassing!" Rika whispered harshly under her breath.

_"But why? It's fun to see your face turn red like that. And you're cute when you're blushing," _she sounded like she was speaking while pouting at the same time.

"Not now! I'll let you make fun of me later, okay?" she tried to compromise with the ever too playful spirit.

_"Hmm... Okay, fine. But you'd better not take back your word!" _she agreed.

Shaking away the redness in her face, Rika once again assumed an attack stance. "Ganju-san, please back me up."

"Okay!" he was ready, a hand already inside the bomb container he had strapped to his back. Rika proceeded to attack Yumichika while Ganju tossed bombs with various effects for support. Yumichika was now pressed to defend himself. On one hand, the only one who could seriously injure him was Rika. On the other hand, his magnificent beauty was being threatened by Ganju's fireworks. It was hard being strong and beautiful at the same time.

Even though it was two on one, Yumichika was able to fend off all their attacks. They failed to land a hit on him, but they had been able to switch positions with him and now had a chance to escape. Ganju was quick to take off, leaving Rika on her own. Stunned at his sudden retreat, she failed to defend against Yumichika's counterattack. She suffered four deep gashes to her side when his Zanpakutou split its blade into four.

"Hmph, as I thought. Seeing you release your Zanpakutou made me reconsider my estimation about you. I thought you were merely playing the amateur, but you are indeed one. No experienced swordsman would drop their guard like that just because their ally did something unexpected," he shook his head condescendingly as she was knocked to the ground. Rika saw her chance for reprieve and focused her reiatsu into Yukianesa. She was sure there was enough reiatsu absorbed to totally cover the cost of the partial healing. She sensed her Zanpakutou flare a small amount of reiatsu before she could feel the healing kick in. Unfortunately, Yumichika sensed it too. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing," she lied. She had to buy time for Yukianesa. She could feel the pain beginning to ache less. She did the first thing that came to her mind. She stood up, turned around, and ran. She needed time, and she needed to find Ganju. She knew she was being followed by the sound of Yumichika's indignant yelling. She looked back to see him giving chase before turning her eyes to her wound. She noticed that somehow they were not as deep as before but they were still bleeding. After a few minutes of running, she felt her reiatsu flowing back to her.

_"I'm done. That's the signal for when I'm done healing you. If you need to stop the healing, just concentrate on pulling your reiatsu back. Remember it," _Yukianesa told her. Rika nodded her head and concentrated on running.

"How much reiatsu have you got?" she asked.

_"About 10%," _she answered. _"Good call, Master. There's still a little left over and I did not need to use your reserves."_

Rika continued running but due to her horrible luck, she ended up running into another of those execution grounds. It was a one-way street and Yumichika was now in the way of the only exit. Almost like he was trying to spite her, he told her that the reason no-one ever got back out was because the walls of the pit were made of the Sekki-Seki mineral. Reiryoku usage was null once inside. He told her not to worry as he would not drop her in there. From the perfect beauty to the blooming one, he would grant her a beautiful death. Rika prepared to defend herself when he suddenly disappeared.

_"Behind! Behind!" _Yukianesa warned but it was far too late. Pain overwhelmed her senses as the four-pronged blade racked across her back. She was sent tumbling harshly, causing even more pain whenever her back made contact with the ground.

"What... was that...?" she asked as she struggled to stand. She remembered seeing it once before when Byakuya thoroughly dismantled Ichigo like a doll havings its strings cut.

"That? That was called Shunpo," Yumichika replied. "It's a high-speed movement technique."

High-speed movement? Was their speed so fast they looked like they were teleporting? Rika would have to have insane kinetic vision just to catch their movement if they did that! It was almost unfair! But she understood her situation perfectly. All this time, he had been toying with her. And she would make him regret it. Just as she was about to go on the attack again, firecrackers were thrown at his face. They were harmless but they provided just the right distraction. Seeing her chance, she charged in to deliver a powerful slash. She put as much reiatsu as she could into it, but his experience allowed him to still defend against her blow. He was knocked skywards, though. A bomb was thrown towards him just then.

"HEY! I've got a present for you!" Ganju could be heard yelling. Yumichika screamed like a pansy when the fuse reached its end and the bomb exploded into very colorful fireworks, taking him out of the fight. He wiped his forehead with the back of his head, sighing tiredly as he turned to face Rika. "Why didn't you run? I thought you were following me all this while until I turned around and you weren't there!" he told her off.

"How was I supposed to know? You just took off without saying a word!" she countered. Ganju was about to make a retort when he realized he never told her they were going to run. "I thought you said you were going to back me up!" Seeing her questioning yet stern glare almost made him feel like he was before his much more volatile sister. Arguing with Ichigo suddenly seemed so much more appealing. However, he still had his pride and he would not bow before a girl that was younger than him.

"Well, sorry about that," he shrugged his shoulders almost nonchalantly, disguising his apology with his sarcastic tone. He was half-expecting her to be offended but instead, she merely sighed and nodded her head in acceptance.

"I guess you didn't mean to leave me behind on purpose. I can't really blame you for an honest mistake," she told him. She activated her partial healing and waited for it to be done. She looked down to her side and saw that the wound was barely scabbed, and she could still feel pain if she flexed her body sideways. At least it was no longer bleeding. A few minutes later, she felt the healing deactivate. She returned Yukianesa to her sealed state and sheathed the sword. Just as she took a step forward, she felt her breath hitch in her chest and almost choked.

_"I had to take about half of your reserves for that last one," _Yukianesa informed her. Rika felt strangely fatigued. She could tell it was not due to physical exertion, as her muscles were not feeling strained. This was spiritual fatigue? She could sense a big chunk of her reiatsu missing, used by the latest healing. But only using half already made her feel this tired? She was absolutely certain she used way more than that for the cannonball training with Ichigo. She then remembered Yukianesa explaining this before. She would feel spiritual fatigue a lot easier than normal while in Shikai. But she already sealed her Zanpakutou, so why?

_"Master, I think you should know that all my techniques can only be used in Shikai. Even if you seal me right after using a reiatsu-consuming technique, it won't help. It was good thinking on your part, but there are no loopholes," _Yukianesa told her. She could not read her thoughts, but she knew how Rika's thought process worked.

"Tell me that at the beginning..." Rika grumbled as she took in deep gulps of air.

_"You didn't know anything back then. Why should I tell you that?" _she retorted.

"Regardless, it's still important information! I thought you left me a loophole!" Rika was confused when she heard Yukianesa mumble something. "What did you say?"

_"I said I forgot..." _the spirit admitted. Rika's eye twitched at the excuse. Of all the reasons she could have came up with for not telling her, it was simply because she forgot?

"You..." Rika just had no words to say.

_"I get it already! I know I'm wrong! What's with that arrogant voice?" _she started throwing a tantrum.

"No, it's nothing," she denied. "Thanks for healing me, Yukianesa."

_"What's with that? Hmph!" _She was trying to be angry, but Rika could hear embarrassment in her voice and shook her head fondly. Yukianesa really was a child, a child that had the upbringing of royalty. She behaved just like a princess, doing whatever she wanted and relentlessly teasing Rika. But secretly, she liked being praised just like any other child, hiding her embarrassment behind a voice of anger or arrogance. Despite claiming she hated being treated like a little girl, she never really resisted Rika's advances to ruffle her hair or give her a hug. Rika was beginning to suspect Yukianesa of secretly being a tsundere.

"Hey! What are you just standing there mumbling to yourself for? Let's go find your brother," Ganju snapped her out of her conversation with Yukianesa. Just as they joined up, some Shinigamis that were searching for them appeared. They started panicking and ran, but not together. Rika ran to the left while Ganju ran to the right. Horror was plastered on their faces as they turned to look at each other in mid-run. They damned each other's lack of synchronization as they tried to escape from the mob.

**Author's Note: And they're now in Seireitei. None of the other fights will have any changes, as they were separated just like in canon. Only Ganju's fight was changed. Rika's first fight was with Yumichika, and was clearly overwhelmed in every way until Ganju returned. Just as Yumichika said, she had trained well under practiced settings, but never against a real opponent who had no qualms about wanting her dead. Remember that Urahara did not train her in Zanjutsu as hard as he did for Ichigo. She was never in any real danger of dying back then. The start of the major shift in the Soul Society Arc happens in the next chapter.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	14. Prelude To Disaster

Rika had finally managed to escape from the mob of Shinigamis by hiding in a storehouse. They were very persistent in their chase, but they never stopped to check inside any buildings. The sounds of Shinigami running all over the Seireitei could be heard all day, and she ended up stuck inside the storehouse for the entire day. She eventually decided to take a nap to restore her reiatsu, confident no-one would check. Yukianesa really was not lying when she had said spiritual fatigue was felt a lot easier if she drained her reserves while in Shikai.

When she woke up that evening, there was no more sounds of running. She peeked her head out the door, looking left and right. With not a single person in sight, she took off to where she last sensed her brother. He was quite a distance away, somewhere towards the tall white towers in the center of Seireitei. Was that where Rukia was being held prisoner?

She suddenly felt her brother release a large amount of reiatsu. He already got into another fight? She poured as much reiatsu into her legs as she could to strengthen them and picked up her speed. Hopefully, she would reach him first before anyone else did. When she arrived at the point of origin, destruction was everywhere. No-one was in sight, and she could no longer sense her brother. Panicking, she focused on finding someone else's reiatsu. She searched for Ganju, and soon found him. When she got to where she detected him, he was not there.

"Huh? He's not here?" Rika walked around the area, keeping her senses alert. She could still feel him, so where was he? As she walked around at random, she somehow detected Ganju below her. "Below?" From what she knew, Seireitei had no need for an underground secret passage. They were like a military force, and there were no civilians in Seireitei. They would fight to the death instead of run. She doubted Ganju would hide in an underground facility. So what else was there underground? There was only one possibility left, and that was sewers. "I guess no-one would really bother to check the sewers. It can serve as a good hiding place." Now the problem was finding a way to get into the sewers. There was no way she was going to dig her way underground. She had to find some sort of entrance.

She never found one. She searched until night fell and she never found a single entrance into the sewers. Frustration was beginning to set in her. Just as she was about to give up, she tripped over a loose tile. She was about to curse her luck again when her brain registered that there was not supposed to be any loose tiles. She moved the loose tile away and saw a ladder leading down into the sewers. She climbed down the ladder and made sure to replace the tile perfectly so no-one searching would trip over it and find the entrance. To her great surprise, the sewer was actually very clean. There was no moss to be seen anywhere, there were no rodents, there was no foul odor, and the water was quite clean for a sewer. Rika walked towards the general direction Ganju was but she kept on going into dead-ends, just like the alleys above ground. Her patience was reaching an end, and she decided to sleep for the rest of the night to calm herself. Maybe the next morning would bring her better luck.

She was awakened by the sound of echoing footsteps. The sewers were empty, and echoes could be heard from quite far away. Yawning and rubbing away the sleep from her eyes, she followed the footsteps. She was not sure, but she thought there were more than two sets of footsteps. She jogged her way over to where she heard them, but then the footsteps suddenly sped up. She spread out her senses to make sure it was Ganju, and to her great relief Ichigo was with him.

"Ganju-san! Nii-san! It's me, Rika!" she yelled.

"Rika?" Ichigo's voice echoed back. "You're safe? That's great! I was worried about you!"

"Yeah, I'm fine! Keep talking, nii-san! I'm coming to you right now!"

They started talking about what happened to them. Ichigo talked about how he defeated Ikkaku, the 3rd seat of the 11th Division, and how he defeated Renji, the red-haired Shinigami that he had fought before in the Living World. He also told her that he knew where Rukia was being held. She was imprisoned at a place called the Shrine of Penitence. It was the tall white towers they saw when they first arrived in Seireitei. As Rika got closer and closer to him, she spotted something floating on the surface of the water. It was a Hollow's mask. As it floated towards her, she recognized the markings on the upper left of the mask. It was the same mask she saw when Ichigo had surfaced from the Shattered Shaft!

Out of morbid curiosity, she picked it up to inspect it. There was a slight crack stemming from the upper right, almost like it had been used as a shield. There was also a very small amount of Hollow reiatsu inside of it. But it was not any ordinary Hollow reiatsu. It had the same reiatsu signature as Ichigo despite the vastly different feeling. She turned terrified at the realization her brother had a Hollow living inside of him. It had to have been born just as Ichigo reclaimed his Shinigami powers. He had been turning into a Hollow first. Did it materialize its mask to protect him from a fatal blow during his fight with Renji? It probably only did so to protect itself. If it was living inside of Ichigo, it would most likely die if Ichigo died. It probably only saved him for its own survival. Nonetheless, it had saved Ichigo's life, and for that Rika was very grateful even if it was to a Hollow. She wondered why it was thrown away. Did Ichigo think of it as a bad omen? To Rika, it did not seem that repulsive.

"Maybe... Just maybe, nii-san's Hollow isn't such a bad person," she chuckled at the optimistic thought. Her morbid curiosity for the mask had somehow turned itself into an unexplainable fondness for it. Maybe it was because it belonged to her brother and had his reiatsu signature on it. Recognizing his signature was more than enough for her to totally ignore the Hollow reiatsu that came with it. Out of gratitude, perhaps, she placed a finger on the hairline cracks and poured a little of her reiatsu into the mask. She was very happy to see the cracks receding and the eye holes chiseling itself to make its edges look much smoother. When the 'repair' was done, she gazed almost proudly at it. Clasping her hands like she was saying a small prayer, she wished that it would grant her the same protection it did for her brother before tucking it in between the two shirts the Shinigami uniform came with. She decided she would use it both as a breastplate and a lucky charm.

Somewhere in a deep dark place, an individual with very pale white skin cracked a very huge smirk. "Thanks for keeping me around, Rika-chan," its echo-like voice gave a sinister chuckle.

_"Master, are you really sure it's okay to bring that mask along?" _Yukianesa asked uncertainly as Rika got closer to Ichigo's small group.

"I'm sure it will be fine. It protected nii-san, right? I'm sure it will protect me too," she assured her spirit.

_"If you say so..." _she relented. She was a little disturbed by its presence. She frowned for a moment before shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders in a nonchalant manner. As long as its presence did not disturb Rika's inner world, she would let it slide. She took out another slice of cake from the refrigerator and set it down on the table. As she ate, she snapped her fingers and the television came to life, allowing her to see and hear whatever Rika did. She did not need to use the television to do so, but it was a lot better than having to focus and link her senses with Rika. Talk about a really convenient inner world. Great outdoors, great cottage, great appliances. All of it belonged to Yukianesa.

When Rika finally met up with Ichigo and Ganju, she saw an unknown Shinigami with them. He was a meek boy who introduced himself as Yamada Hanatarou. Ichigo told her that he was the one who healed them overnight after his fight with Renji. Rika bowed deeply to him and gave her utmost gratitude for helping to save her brother's life. He blushed in embarrassment and scratched the back of his head nervously, claiming that he was only doing what he could do. Even so, she still gave him his due thanks.

Hanatarou led them out of the sewers and back to the surface, which was where Ichigo had fought Renji. It was strangely void of any guards, and Ganju reasoned that was probably because they were not expecting them to return to the same location after a single night. After they ran up the absurdly long staircase leading to the Shrine of Penitence, they took a short breather. There were also no guards at the top. Rika was beginning to get suspicious about this. It was like they were being allowed to proceed. Ichigo had no such suspicion, and encouraged the group to head into the inner area. They only took a few steps before a malevolent reiatsu washed over them, striking fear into all of them as they stopped in their tracks.

"What is this... insanely huge reiatsu?" Ganju asked the question on everyone's mind.

"We gotta run!" Ichigo shouted. "I don't know exactly, but I'm sure someone terrible is coming!"

"No, you're wrong, nii-san..." Rika could barely bring her voice up. "...This reiatsu... isn't moving! Someone's waiting for us...!"

"Where is it?" he demanded.

"I don't know! This reiatsu is too strong for me to find the source!"

"Then let's run!"

They ran and ran, but the pressure never lifted. Hanatarou was the first to succumb to its force, and fell down. He was carried by Ganju and they resumed running. When the reiatsu lifted for just a few seconds, Rika detected its owner. Ichigo somehow sensed it as well and both turned to look at a figure barely visible sitting on a very high rooftop. They stared at it in apprehension, frozen in place.

"How long are you two going to stare over there?" a gruff male voice asked from behind them.

"Huh?" both siblings muttered together before they suddenly jerked as if they had been struck.

"What... what..." Rika could have sworn she was stabbed from behind.

"Bloodlust?" Ichigo managed to identify the feeling. "It can't be... This kind of feeling from just an air of bloodlust?" Both siblings heard the jingle of a bell and looked back. There was an extremely tall man with spiked hair that had a bell on each tip.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, right?" he addressed him, ignoring Rika.

"How... do you know my name?" Ichigo asked back. "Who the hell are you?"

"What? You didn't hear from Ikkaku?"

"From Ikkaku?" Ichigo remembered the warning his first opponent in Seireitei had given him.

"Nii-san, this man... He's the captain of the 11th Division, Zaraki Kenpachi!" Rika answered her brother's question.

"So this is the guy?" Ichigo fully turned to face the captain.

"Looks like you remembered," Kenpachi flared his reiatsu again to threaten them a little. "I came to fight you to the death."

Rika remembered Yoruichi telling them to run if they ever encountered any captains. It was a meaningless order. If she had to give a reason, she would bet that all of them could use Shunpo and none of their group had any sort of high-speed movement to even hope to escape. Ishida had such a technique, but she did not know that. A glance to her brother told her he realized the same thing.

"What's wrong? I told you..." Kenpachi broke them out of their thoughts. "I came to fight you to the death. Since you ain't answering, does that mean I can go ahead and start?" Both siblings prepared to unsheath their Zanpakutous when they noticed the condition of Ganju and Hanatarou. Ganju assured them that he and Hanatarou were fine, and they should look in front of them or they would be beaten in the blink of an eye. They never noticed the little girl that hopped onto Ichigo's shoulder. He quickly shrugged her off and asked who she was. To his shock, the little girl who introduced herself as Kusajishi Yachiru, was the 11th Division's Lieutenant. Rika also had the same shock as well when Urahara told her that.

"Ganju-san, please take Hanatarou-kun and go on ahead. I'll stay behind to support nii-san. We'll leave the rest to you," she told their companions.

"What the hell are you-" Ganju started to protest.

"GANJU-SAN!" she raised her voice, cutting him off. "This man will not come after you. His only target is nii-san, and I won't let him kill nii-san so easily. We're counting on you to rescue Kuchiki Rukia."

"A-Alright, I got it," he picked up the unconscious Hanatarou and ran on ahead to the Shrine of Penitence.

"Rika, you go on ahead too," Ichigo told her.

"No way. I promised to watch your back, remember?" she reminded him.

"But-"

"No buts. Can you honestly and confidently tell me you can win against him on your own?"

"...Watch my back, Rika."

"Leave it to me." They both drew their Zanpakutous and flared their respective reiatsu. Kenpachi took note of them, stating that they were like a captain and lieutenant pairing. But they were still not enough to fight against him.

"How about I give you an advantage?" he offered. "I'll let you two fight me at the same time. I'll even give each of you one free hit." They were stunned by the odd show of generosity. Ichigo refused, stating that he could not attack someone who had not even drawn their sword and demanding if he was making fun of them. "I ain't making fun of anybody," Kenpachi denied. "It's just a freebie. A service." Ichigo got even more agitated, and Kenpachi told him not to be so eager and have some fun. Whether they kill or got killed, it was just a way to kill time. When he told them they could do anything they wanted for the first attack, even kill him, Ichigo had enough. He raised his Zanpakutou high up and swung down with all his might.

**Author's Note: Rika has picked up the discarded Hollow mask in the sewers and is keeping it with her. She believes that the Hollow in Ichigo is a good person. Rika couldn't be any more wrong. This mistaken belief will have a lot of significance in future shifts of the Bleach universe. They have encountered Kenpachi and are beginning to fight with him. Rika will have a part in it, but don't expect too much from her. The second major shift begins...**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!  
**


	15. Versus Zaraki Kenpachi: Part One

"Wait! Nii-san!" Rika cried out, but Ichigo had already attacked. When Kenpachi offered them a free first attack, Rika immediately sensed for his reiatsu for anything suspicious like a trap. What she sensed was not a trap, but his reiatsu constantly surrounding his entire body like a suit of armor. She already knew neither of them would even be able to cut, let alone injure the man if they could not get through that armor. Ichigo's reiatsu was massive, true, but he was not focusing enough of it to cut Kenpachi. She had to straighten him out somehow. It would be hard, since the both were utterly afraid of the enemy in front of them.

Ichigo stared at his bloody hands gripping Zangetsu. They were bleeding, like his palms were slashed. Kenpachi did not have a single scratch on him. He stared at him almost in disappointment before turning his eyes to Rika. "Next," he said.

_"Calm down, Master! You can fight this man!" _Yukianesa told her confidently.

"How? I'm still learning how to fight and my second opponent is a captain!" Rika argued, fear clouding her mind.

_"Use Shikai from the get-go. You won't survive otherwise," _she instructed her. Deciding to listen to the spirit, Rika released her Zanpakutou. _"Against this man, you must not aim for stabs or try to hit with the length of the blade. Only strike him with the tip. As long as you do that, you can fight him. I will handle the rest."_

Rika thought about what Yukianesa said. She knew fully well that she would not be able to cut the man with her current amount of reiatsu. So why did Yukianesa sound so confident? The secret to fighting the man was in her Shikai? The fear clouding her mind cleared just enough for her to realize what the spirit meant. A confident smile appeared on her face as she poured as much reiatsu as she could into Yukianesa. She would make at least her first strike count.

Kenpachi saw her release her Zanpakutou and smile with confidence. She focused her reiatsu into her sword and charged him. He nearly grinned at her approach. With that much reiatsu, she just might be able to give him a little scratch. His one visible eye widened in surprise when she somehow managed to give him a very long but shallow slash from his left shoulder to the middle of his abdomen. It was way more than just a scratch. While he was staring at the shallow wound, she jumped away and pulled Ichigo along with her.

"Rika? How did you...?" Ichigo was just as stunned. According to Ishida, his sister had a lot less reiryoku than him. In turn, she had less reiatsu than him as well, not to mention she had less physical strength than him. So how did she manage to cut someone even he could not?

"Heh. Not bad, little girl," Kenpachi gave her a small compliment. "I didn't expect the weaker one to be able to cut me."

"Don't worry, taichou-san. Nii-san will definitely be able to cut you," she replied. "We'll fall back for now, nii-san," she whispered to his ear. He quickly agreed and they both ran off, disappointing the bloodthirsty man who soon gave chase.

"How did you cut him, Rika? Tell me!" Ichigo practically demanded the answer as they ran.

"If not for my Shikai, I wouldn't be able to cut him at all," Rika admitted.

"What?" Ichigo was stumped.

"Nii-san, that captain constantly has reiatsu surrounding his entire body. Unless you can sharpen your reiatsu, you won't be able to cut him. You have a lot of reiatsu. You can do it, nii-san," she encouraged him.

"Then how did you cut him? You said it was because of your Shikai?"

"Yukianesa has the ability to absorb reiatsu on contact. I can wound him but I can't inflict any serious ones. I can't stab him or hit with the length of the blade. I can only cut him with the tip, otherwise I'll end up like you," she explained, pointing to his bloodied hands. "Nii-san, Zangetsu is a power-type if I'm not wrong. Draw out that power and cut him!" Kenpachi's appearance stalled their conversation and both got into their respective stances. Ichigo made the first move, clashing with the captain. Rika could see him lazily attacking and lazily defending against Ichigo. When she joined the fight, he seemed to pay more attention to her. Maybe it was because she could cut him and Ichigo could not? "What's with that look?"

"Nothing. I'm just finding you more interesting at the moment," he gave her an animalistic smirk, unnerving her greatly when he simply let her get another attack through, adding another minor injury to her first. He had noticed her purposely aiming for his blind spots and evading all his attacks. His smirk grew when she realized he was holding back majority of his power. He knew she was looking out for when he decided to bring more of his power out. She was still afraid, judging by the minute trembling of her body. He decided to humor her and swung his sword at her faster than before. Her eyes widened in alarm and she quickly raised her blade to defend. She was as light as he expected. She was blown off her feet and sent flying. She crashed into a building and bounded off harshly, leaving a small crater behind.

"Rika!" Ichigo was enraged when he saw his sister fall to the ground. He attacked with more vigor than before but he still could not cut Kenpachi. He even let him hit! He backed away and helped Rika to her feet and before running off again. Kenpachi spat in disgust and sat down, not bothering to give chase.

"Nii-san..." she muttered a bit weakly. When she crashed into the building, it aggravated her previous back injury, making her back feel it was set on fire. She activated her healing when she had the chance, dulling the pain to a bearable level. Her injury was still stinging from the impact. She was fortunate Kenpachi never bothered with evading her attacks. With his massive reiatsu, Yukianesa had absorbed quite a lot. She still had a little over 100% left after the healing. "You need to focus, nii-san! Sharpen your reiatsu and you can cut him! I understand you're afraid of his reiatsu. I am too! But you can match him! You can win!"

"How can I?" he snapped, frustrated at his own inability to wound the captain. "I can't even cut him!"

"But I can't win..." she looked down sadly. Even with Yukianesa's vote of confidence, she knew her victory condition was to survive the battle, not win an all-out brawl with Kenpachi. Ichigo had to be the one to win. "...Even if I can cut him, they're nothing more than flesh wounds. I'd have to cut him from head to toe just to make him delirious from blood loss. I don't have the raw power necessary to win. Please, nii-san, you have to try! Fight together with Zangetsu! I'm sure it will lend you its power!"

Hearing her words made Ichigo rethink about his situation and what Zangetsu had told him when he first unlocked his Shikai. He really did not have anything to be scared of. If he lost here, everything he was carrying on his back would be destroyed. He did not have the time to be afraid. Seeing his sister's pleading eyes made his resolve even stronger. Her face brightened when he looked at her with determined eyes. They shared a nod and both rushed back to confront Kenpachi. Before they could go, Ichigo turned to look at the sky with disbelief and horror etched onto his face.

"Chad..." he uttered his friend's name. "Chad's reiatsu's... disappeared!" Seeing his distress, Rika sensed for his reiatsu. She stretched her senses further than she ever had and eventually detected his reiatsu, but it was very faint. She informed her brother that his friend was still alive but barely. He heaved a quick sigh of relief before returning his focus to defeating Kenpachi. They returned to where he was waiting for them and saw him sitting down against a wall leisurely. He asked if Ichigo was back because he was finally ready to die or if he simply came to surrender. "Sorry, but both are wrong!" The siblings charged in and Kenpachi raised his Zanpakutou in a lazy guard. After parrying a single swing from Ichigo, his guard became wide open for both of them to attack. The result was a x-shaped wound on his chest, one of them being deeper than the other. "I don't feel like dying yet."

Kenpachi never flinched in pain. He simply grinned as blood dripped from the twin wounds, one bleeding more than the other. "What the hell. So you can do it if you really try. I'm glad your sister wasn't lying when she said you'd be able to cut me," he said as he walked over to them. They raised their guard at his casual approach. "Don't soften up now. Keep it sharp just like that. Here's where the fun starts. Right, Kurosaki Ichigo?" he flared his reiatsu at them. Rika showed signs of panic, realizing he was beginning to take the fight a little more seriously. Ichigo kept calm and collected, knowing he now had a chance to fight on even ground. No longer interested in the younger Kurosaki, he slammed his Zanpakutou down at Ichigo who blocked it, causing a small shockwave of reiatsu when their Zanpakutous clashed. Rika moved in to take advantage but now that he was willing to fight a little more seriously, he struck back instead of simply guarding, sending her flying again. Ichigo was there to stop her from crashing into anything this time.

"Thank you, nii-san," she thanked him for the support.

"Don't mention it," Ichigo replied. "Now I understand why you said I have to be the one to win. Stand back, Rika. Don't make yourself a target by attacking him. I've got this."

"Okay, I won't get in your way. But I will step in to defend you if you can't."

"Yeah, I'll leave that to you. Guard my back!" Rika only had to defend him from a back-attack once. She had to hold her ground and support her Zanpakutou with her other arm just to defend successfully. Her arms were trembling like leaves and her legs were feeling like jelly from the sheer difference in power between her and Kenpachi. After that, he had been able to hear the bells attached to Kenpachi's hair whenever he moved out of his sight, including a second back-attack.

"Good! Good reaction! Unlike a minute ago, you're actually hearing my bells," Kenpachi praised. "I wear both the bells and the eye patch just to enjoy fighting more. There's no reason for me to wear them if you don't take advantage."

"What the?" Rika was stunned at his admission. Those were just means for the opponent to take advantage of? Was he so strong that even limiting himself was the norm for him? She knew his eye patch was not a normal one. She had sensed it devouring his reiatsu endlessly. As for the bells, she only thought it was mere fashion. "Why are you holding back? Why give your opponent such advantages?"

"It's just a habit of mine. I hold back when I'm fighting. My reiatsu is so huge that I can't hold all of it back. If I fought with all my strength, enemies would be so fragile I wouldn't have the time to enjoy the fight!" he explained.

"Then... you just want to fight? That's it?" Rika realized at this point that Kenpachi was a man who craved battle. He wanted to feel the thrill of battle so much that he was willing to weaken himself just to give the enemy a futile fighting chance. She saw the danger as soon as he answered her. Unfortunately, Ichigo did not take it the same way.

"Damn it! Taking me lightly... That's why you don't release your Zanpakutou either?" Kenpachi only grunted in confusion, wondering what point Ichigo was trying to make. "Don't you get it? My sword can already cut you. If you go easy on me, you're gonna-"

"My Zanpakutou ain't got a name," Kenpachi interrupted him. "My sword is butt-ass naked. It ain't got a sealed form to begin with. This is my Zanpakutou's true form."

_'He got a Shikai without knowing his Zanpakutou's name?'_ Rika knew there was no way any Zanpakutou would not have a sealed form. Heck, even Zangetsu started out in a sealed state when Ichigo first became a Shinigami. Recalling that small piece of detail, she abruptly remembered that Zangetsu had never returned to its sealed state ever since her brother activated his Shikai. She recalled asking Urahara why his Zanpakutou never returned to normal. He told her that Ichigo's Zanpakutou was classified as a 'full-time release' type of Zanpakutou. He explained that it was because Ichigo could not finely control his vast reiatsu upon the releasing of his Shikai. This man was the same, except he had somehow got it without knowing the name. It was an incomplete Shikai. Still, she recognized the danger he posed. Ichigo did not. He got arrogant instead.

"Is that so? Hearing that is a relief," he replied.

"W-What are you saying, nii-san?" Rika was utterly shocked at how arrogant her brother had suddenly became. He was getting more confident. That was fine, but he was letting it get to his head! "You're getting it all wrong!"

"It'll be fine. His sword's not going to get any stronger than it is. We've got a chance," he told her.

"No! That's not the point! He has the same condition as you!" Before she could elaborate further, Kenpachi lunged forward and pointed his sword at Ichigo in a threatening manner, causing him to raise Zangetsu up in defense.

"You've got a chance?" he repeated. "What makes you think you even have that chance? You're the one taking me lightly. The reason I don't seal my Zanpakutou is because my reiatsu is so huge I can't seal it, even if I tried to hold it in as hard as I can. I already told you that."

_'Nii-san's in danger! He'll be killed!' _Rika could feel Ichigo losing focus of his reiatsu. Almost in slow motion, she saw Kenpachi's sword pierce right through Zangetsu and into Ichigo's chest. She tried rushing to him in a vain attempt to save him but all she managed was an outstretched arm. Her legs never moved, having rooted themselves when she saw the sword enter her brother. Her mind blanked as her eyes registered seeing Zangetsu fall in two pieces and Ichigo collapsing to the ground, similar to the time when he lost to Rukia's brother. She could only manage to scream in despair at her fallen brother.

"NII-SAN!"

**Author's Note: The Kurosaki siblings have entered combat with Kenpachi and things are not looking good for them. Rika is only able to cut Kenpachi due to Yukianesa's ability to absorb reiatsu. Even then, she can only attack with the tip of her sword. Remember that she has to make contact first before absorption can begin. She can't stab, or else Yukianesa's blade will break. She can't hit with the length of the blade, because first contact with Kenpachi will cease all momentum from her swing and prevent any injury. But if she strikes with just the tip, minimum contact is made and momentum is not lost. The absorption will null the reiatsu 'armor' and allow Rika to cut him. However, that is all she will be able to accomplish. Unless she bleeds Kenpachi dry with flesh wounds, she will never win against him. She can't take, let alone defend, against one of his attacks. Her very first successful defense ended up robbing her of most of her strength.**

**The conclusion to this fight will be in the next chapter. Ichigo's first encounter with Hollow Ichigo will be mostly the same, but there will be changes in their dialogue. Remember what Rika did that caused her to catch Hollow Ichigo's attention? If you didn't get it or missed it, re-read the previous chapter. The first spark between Rika and her other 'brother' will be lit in the next chapter as well.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	16. Versus Zaraki Kenpachi: Part Two

"I told you not to soften up your reiatsu," Kenpachi said. "Softening up just because you found a chance or two at victory..." Grunting in irritation, he pulled out his Zanpakutou out of Ichigo's chest. He eyed the distraught sister simply staring at her brother. "As for you..." she snapped her head towards him at his call. "I'm bored with you. I don't know how you managed to cut me, but fighting with amateurs just ain't no fun." He turned around and started to walk away, dragging the tip of his Zanpakutou on the ground before resting it on his shoulder. "What a shitty ending... Someone who could cut me... Someone who could hear my bells in the middle of the fight... It's been a long time since I've seen either..." he almost sounded like he was lamenting.

Ichigo was still alive but he was panting hard as blood endlessly leaked out of the small puncture wound. He saw Kenpachi turn his back on them and Rika begging for him to be alright as she knelt down by his side. _'Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit! I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die! I can't freaking die in a place like this!' _he cursed himself mentally. _'I can't afford to die yet!'_ He barely managed to push himself up with Rika trying to get him to stay still. _'Move, body, move! Let me fight one more time! I have to... save Rukia!' _Just as his internal ranting ended, everything froze and turned grey. He saw Old Man Zangetsu appearing out of nowhere with his color intact and walking towards him.

"Do you want to fight? Do you want to win? Do you want to live?" Zangetsu gave him three choices to pick. "Which one?"

"I want to win..." Ichigo muttered.

"I can't hear you."

"Just fighting is meaningless. Just surviving is meaningless. I want to win. I want to WIN!"

"Very well," he accepted his wielder's answer. "I'll take you there."

After what seemed like a free-fall in the air, Ichigo found himself standing on a building sideways. He recognized it as the place he went to when he unlocked his own Shinigami powers. He quickly laid flat on his back to stop himself from falling. Zangetsu asked what he was doing and he replied that he would have fallen off. The spirit told him not to worry, as that time his Hollow transformation was causing his inner world to detoriate. Ichigo stopped him, asking if the jacked-up sideways world was the normal state. He ignored him by stating that he had grown a little stronger. A tick mark appear at the back of his head, muttering about how he ignored him outright. Zangetsu told him to stand, and tossed over a katana before walking away. Ichigo fumbled with it for a moment and asked him what kind of idiot would throw an unsheathed sword. Zangetsu told him to take it and that it was his sword. Ichigo was puzzled at that, telling his spirit that his sword was the cleaver.

"Zangetsu? Do you mean the one that was broken by your enemy?" the spirit asked as he suddenly made the Zanpakutou appear in his hand. "This one?" Ichigo stared at the complete Zanpakutou for a moment before the spirit told him that he cannot give him the sword and tossed it over the edge of the building they were standing on. Ichigo demanded what he was doing but before he could make a move to take it, someone told him to get out of the way. He turned his head back to see who it was but it zoomed past him in a flash of white. He saw that person, a male, was wearing white Shinigami clothes and he took Zangetsu for himself. When he turned to face him, Ichigo was stunned to see himself, except he had pale white skin and black eyes with gold pupils.

"Who are you...?" he asked.

"Don't 'who' me, partner," the man replied. His voice had echoes in it, making him sound high-pitched. His voice did sound somewhat similar to his own.

"Now we will test whether or not you are worthy of wielding me," Zangetsu stood beside his white self, obviously siding with him. "If you to obtain me once more, snatch me away with your own hands. Your enemy is yourself."

"Snatch away, huh? Sounds good," Ichigo's double agreed with the spirit. "Go right ahead, partner. If you can, that is!" He kicked off from where he was standing and swung Zangetsu at Ichigo who blocked with the sword in his hands. He could not block it completely, being forcefully pushed back by the amount of power his double put in the swing. When they broke contact, Ichigo could see red reiatsu surrounding his double. Only then did he realize how amazing Zangetsu was. The red reiatsu was nearly burning off the atmosphere. When he compared it to the sword he was holding, it looked like a piece of wood to him. He wondered how he was going to win with something like that.

"What's the matter, partner?" his double broke him out of his thoughts. "If you just stand there, I'll kill you!" Ichigo looked up and saw him throw Zangetsu by the hilt wrap at him. He dodged the thrown Zanpakutou, and it was pulled back to the hands of his double. He pondered what kind of way of fighting was that. "Ha! You're pathetic!" he taunted, seeing the thoughtful look on his face. "With a bad-ass sword like this, how could you get all bloodied up like that? It's incomprehensible." The malicious grin on his face became serious for a moment. "Can you become best friends with someone you just met simply by asking their name?" he asked.

"What?" Ichigo dumbly responded.

"That's what you're doing," his double told him while spinning Zangetsu by the hilt wrap. "Just by calling Zangetsu's name, you think you've already mastered using it. You only think about yourself, and never try to draw out his power or try to understand him! You've convinced yourself you can get stronger just by training yourself! Just what do you think Rika-chan has been trying to tell you all this while!"

"...Chan?" Ichigo uttered darkly at how his double called Rika. He would never add 'chan' when referring to any of his sisters. If this white copy of himself was really him, he would know that. This guy only had his looks down perfectly, nothing else. This guy was not him!

"That's right. Our dear little sister, Rika-chan," he stated.

"Bastard...!" Ichigo growled. "Don't refer to her so intimately! She's not your sister!"

"Sure she is! I'm you, remember?"

"Like hell you are!"

"We've already met, you know. She likes me."

"What?" Ichigo was stunned when he heard that. Before he could ask about it, his double threw Zangetsu at him and forcing him to dodge. His focus now away from talking about Rika, he returned to thinking about Zangetsu. He realized that what his double was saying was true. He never really tried to understand his spirit. Rika had been telling him to draw out Zangetsu's power but only now did he understand what she meant. Zanpakutous were not tools. They all were alive and had their own names. He remembered Kenpachi saying how his Zanpakutou had no name. He regretted ever saying it was a relief. Remembering how shocked Rika had been when he said that made him feel even worse. He had been acting the same way as him.

They exchanged a few more attacks but Ichigo could never get the advantage. Closing his eyes, he tried to convey his sincere feelings of wanting to know about Zangetsu. When his double came in to deliver the finishing blow, their weapons were suddenly switched. Zangetsu had given Ichigo another chance. He promptly shattered the sword in his double's hand, winning the fight and leaving his inner world.

"So he left, huh?" his double spoke to Zangetsu. "That's good enough, right?"

"Yes," Zangetsu replied in approval. "Sorry to call you out."

"Don't worry about it." Ichigo's double started dissolving into black mist that returned to Zangetsu's coat. "He's strong, Zangetsu-san. Raise him well. Because that power's going to be mine someday," his fading voice left behind a sinister message.

Back in the outside world, Rika felt her brother's reiatsu soar from nearly zero to even higher than she had ever sensed before. Zangetsu had somehow repaired itself in an instant and Ichigo stood up with cool confidence. He glanced at her and gave an appreciative nod.

"You were right all along. I was acting like a total ass just now, wasn't I? Sorry you had to see such a pathetic side of your brother," he chuckled.

"I'm just glad you're back. Did you talk with Zangetsu?" When he had suddenly collapsed, Rika felt his reiatsu relax itself. It lowered itself down to a point it could hardly be felt. She panicked and felt for his pulse. She could feel it just fine, if a little faint. She heaved a quiet sigh of relief, realizing that he had entered his inner world, probably having been dragged there by Zangetsu. Having done Jinzen multiple times, she knew the signs when someone entered their inner world.

"Yeah. We're working together now," he replied. He returned his attention to Kenpachi who had turned around to see what was happening. "I'll take care of the rest. Stay out of this. I have a feeling it will be too much for you to handle," he told her. She obeyed her brother obediently, stepping away and behind him to a safe distance. "Oh yeah," he almost forgot something important, at least to him. "I've got something to ask you after I'm done."

"Huh?" Rika blinked in confusion at him. "Uh, okay..." She watched almost in awe as Ichigo fought so much harder than he had at the beginning, and his reiatsu was so sharp he was able to wound Kenpachi with no problems at all. He started pushing Kenpachi back but no matter how many hits Ichigo landed, he would not never fall.

"Something's wrong with you! You're crazy!" Ichigo accused. "You love fighting that much? Aren't you scared of being cut or dying?"

"I'm crazy? _You're_ the crazy one!" Kenpachi shot back, an insane grin on his face. "How can you be this strong and not love fighting? Have fun! Pain and death are just the cost to have fun!" They started fighting again, but Ichigo still kept his advantage, wounding Kenpachi even more, making him laugh in joy. The way he was enjoying himself was seriously creeping the siblings out. "With you... I think I can fight at full power!" He took off the eyepatch, and a yellow pillar of pure reiatsu shot out from him. The reiatsu was just too much for Rika to stand in. She immediately fell flat on her face, struggling to move under the invisible pressure. She could not move a muscle.

"Rika! Get a hold of yourself!" Ichigo urged her.

"Nii-san..." she whispered. "Help..." She was beginning to have difficulty breathing.

"Hang in there! Wait for me, I'll beat this guy!" he told her. He demanded what Kenpachi was hiding in his right eye. He denied hiding anything, only that his eye patch was actually a monster that endlessly consumed his reiryoku. All of the reiatsu he had been feeding it was now being directed into beating Ichigo. In turn, Ichigo gave the entirety of his power to Zangetsu, telling him to do whatever he pleased with it and to give him strength. Ichigo flared his own reiatsu, which was even bigger than a few minutes ago. Kenpachi's reiatsu took the shape of a skull, while Ichigo's took the shape of a mask.

Rika managed to direct her eyes just enough to watch them and recognized the mask. It was Ichigo's Hollow mask. Seeing it gave her great assurance that her brother would be fine.

_'Please, grant him the power to win,' _she silently pleaded with his Hollow and just like Hanatarou before her, she passed out from the sheer pressure of Kenpachi's reiatsu. Soon after, Ichigo and Kenpachi exchanged one final attack that blew apart all the surrounding buildings. When the dust they kicked up settled, both combatants had their Zanpakutous on each other's body. Ichigo had Zangetsu deep in Kenpachi's body, looking like he was trying to cut off his entire right arm. Kenpachi had his Zanpakutou impaled deep in Ichigo's torso.

"Sorry, guys..." Ichigo managed to say before Kenpachi yanked it out harshly to the side, nearly tearing out a piece of Ichigo's body as he fell to the ground unconscious.

"'Sorry, guys' my ass. It's your win, idiot," he replied before blood sprayed out of his deepest wound and he too collapsed. Yachiru, who had been watching from the top of a nearby building, thanked Ichigo for letting Kenpachi have fun before picking up her captain and leaving the area. A moment after she left, Yoruichi appeared to give congratulations for his valiant effort against him. He promised him that he would not let him die and flared his reiatsu in preparation. No-one saw a figure carrying two bodies flying towards a location somewhere in Seireitei.

**Author's Note: The conclusion is still the same as canon. Inside Ichigo's inner world, he learns from his Hollow that he and Rika have already 'met'. It's only a half-truth. They have never met face to face, but they are aware of each other. Ichigo had no chance to ask how they met, and he had no chance to ask Rika yet. The siblings will see Yoruichi in his true form in the next chapter.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	17. The Next Release

Rika woke up with a sudden start and looked around. She could no longer feel Kenpachi's reiatsu. She found herself in some sort of armory, with various weapons stashed on the walls.

"Good. You're awake," she heard Yoruichi say. She turned to face the cat, and saw her unconscious brother beside her. His wounds had been treated and he seemed to be stable.

"What happened? I... didn't see who won... Will nii-san be alright?" she asked, trying to clear the dizziness in her head. She thought she was done for when she passed out.

"It was a tie. You passed out from the pressure of Kenpachi's unrestrained reiatsu," he replied. "Your brother will be fine as long as he doesn't move too much when he wakes up." He soon stirred and started mumbling to himself, trying to remember what happened before he lost consciousness. When he did remember, he suddenly sat up, recalling that Rika was in danger because of Kenpachi's excess reiatsu. He gritted his teeth in pain when the wound on his torso opened up again from his movements.

"Nii-san, I'm fine. Relax," Rika gently pushed him back down. "You shouldn't move so much. Your wounds will open again." He asked about the others, and Yoruichi told him that everyone was fine. Sado had been defeated, but he was lucky he got the opponent he faced or else he would have been killed. He told him to stay still and rest inside the barrier as half of his organs were crushed. Yoruichi dragged over a damaged mask, Ichigo's Hollow mask, and said that if it was not in his clothes, his torso would have been sliced clean in two.

Rika was never more glad to see the mask. His Hollow had protected him again. She became even more convinced that his Hollow was not a terrible being. Yoruichi told them he was surprised that Ichigo was still carrying it around. However, he himself was surprised to see the mask.

"I... had that?" he asked.

"What? You weren't carrying it around?" Yoruichi was surprised by his response. Ichigo admitted that he had that mask when he fought Renji. He initially wanted to keep it as a good luck charm but Hanatarou took it from him and threw it away while they were in the sewers before Rika caught up with them. Rika was just about to say that she had picked up his old mask when she saw Yoruichi's eyes widen in apprehension. She wisely chose to keep her mouth shut as Ichigo was practically forced to hand over his second mask to Yoruichi when he wanted to keep it. She did not want to lose her own good luck charm, especially when he gave no explanations as to why he refused to let Ichigo hold on to it.

"But still, you're amazing, Yoruichi-san," Rika praised, trying to change the subject away from the Hollow mask. She supposed she was lucky that Yoruichi did not go through her clothes to check for any injuries. She was relatively unharmed, since she activated her partial healing for every injury she received.

"What do you mean?" the cat inquired.

"You managed to bring both of us here with that small body," she pointed out. "And you can even treat nii-san's wounds."

"It was nothing. If I return to my original form, such a task is mere child's play," he brushed off the compliment.

"Huh?" both siblings were stumped. "Original? Form?"

"That's right. Come to think of it, I haven't shown any of you yet, have I?" he recalled. "Very well. After coming this far, there's no point in hiding it. I shall show you... my true form." Yoruichi focused reiatsu inside himself, and white smoke billowed out from his legs. His form slowly changed into a humanoid shape and eventually the transformation stopped when he turned into a... woman?

"A... a... a woman?" Ichigo pointed a trembling finger at the woman in front of him. Rather than be shocked at the discovery that Yoruichi was actually a woman, Rika's shock was on a different thing entirely. Yoruichi was stark naked, and only the white smoke was covering her indecent form. She could only stare at the woman like a gaping fish.

"I can see you're completely shocked. Can't be helped, I suppose," she said. "You most likely convinced yourselves I was a man due to the way I speak and how I sounded like as a cat." She walked towards the stunned siblings, getting even more amused. "No matter how many times I reveal myself like this, it's always as amusing experience. Everyone just shows a stupefied expression of shock."

"B-B-But... You weren't a cat..." Ichigo stammered.

"Cats can't talk. That's common sense," she told him, making him drop his finger and head. She crouched down in front of them, getting their attention. "That's enough shock for now. I'll tell you how I brought you here." At this time, the white smoke from her transformation had totally cleared and the siblings had perfect view of her bare body. Both of them turned so red someone could swap their heads with an apple wearing a wig and no-one would be able to tell the difference. Rika finally regained enough of her sense to scream and covered her face with her hands, trying to block out the image in front of her.

"CLOTHES! PUT ON SOME FREAKING CLOTHES!" Ichigo yelled. Finally getting the source of their embarrassment, Yoruichi went to find some clothes.

"Ah, sorry, sorry," she apologized lightly. "I haven't worn clothes in ages, so..." She finished putting on a black sweater and turned to the siblings. "But you two, you're much more innocent than you look. Was this your first time seeing a woman's body? Eh?"

"Shut up!" Ichigo snapped, his body turned to look in the opposite direction. Rika was still sitting facing Yoruichi, but her eyes were looking everywhere except at her.

"Are you sure you don't want to look?" she asked slyly. "If you don't look now, you may never see it again."

"None of your business!" he snapped again, this time turning to face her. She flashed him by lifting up the bottom of the sweater, revealing her bare bottom half. Rika's eyes just happened to see it and she screamed again, covering her face once more. Ichigo turned away rapidly but his wounds acted up from his movements, making him squirm and groan in pain.

"Are you alright?" Yoruichi asked casually. "Well, it's no wonder your wounds opened up with you screaming so much. And Rika, why are you so embarrassed to look at me?"

"SHUT UP!" both siblings yelled at her. "Why don't you put on some underwear? You're supposed to put on bottoms first!" Apparently having had enough fun teasing them, Yoruichi finished dressing up. However, seeing Rika's eyes darting away from her made her want to tease the siblings one last time.

"Why so embarrassed, Rika? You're a girl. Surely you've seen a female's naked body before," she prodded.

"Seeing my own body and seeing another woman's body are totally different things!" Rika exclaimed.

"What about you, Ichigo? Kisuke told me you two are sharing a room. Don't tell me you've never seen your sister show a lot of skin," she switched to Ichigo.

"Not like you!" he pointed an accusing finger at her. "The least I've ever seen her wear is a towel!" Yoruichi could not help but let out a hearty laugh at them, causing them to glare darkly at her. The two siblings were more alike than they realized.

Now that fun time was really over, Yoruichi tossed over an item to Ichigo. It looked like some kind of rod with an animal's skull and four wing bones on top. She told them that she used that to get them here. That item was also the only one of its kind in Soul Society.

"Yoruichi-san, just who are you?" Rika asked genuinely, not out of suspicion. "You can transform, you can heal, you have precious objects..."

"Yeah, who in the world are you?" Ichigo backed her up. Before she could answer, a blast of reiatsu hit them. Ichigo recognized it as Kuchiki Byakuya's reiatsu. Rika asked if it was Rukia's brother, and he nodded. When Yoruichi mentioned that it was coming from the Shrine of Penitence, Ichigo prepped Zangetsu on his back and prepared to leave.

"Ichigo! What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Ganju and Hanatarou are headed there! They're in danger! I have to go help them!" he replied.

"What can you do in the condition you're in?"

"If I don't go, then who will save them?" Ichigo poured his reiatsu into the rod, making the wing bones extend themselves and skin grew to form a wing. "Fly!" he commanded, and he busted out of the armory to head to the Shrine of Penitence.

"Damn fool!" Yoruichi cursed. "Rika, stay here quietly! I'm leaving to get him back, and I won't tolerate any nonsense from you!"

"Y-Y-Yes, ma'am!" Rika stood ramrod straight at attention. Satisfied with her answer, she disappeared in a flash. Rika vowed to ask her to teach them Shunpo. It was definitely an invaluable skill to have if they had to face more captains later on. Now alone, she relaxed and laid back down on her makeshift bed. Her thoughts drifted back to the fights she had been in. "What fights? I was totally useless," she laughed bitterly at herself. She was powerless, and she knew it. She was starting to wish for more power, but Yukianesa was very uncooperative when it concerned her powers.

"Master?" Yukianesa materialized herself next to her, having sensed her sour mood.

"Yuki-chan," she sat up and faced her spirit. This time she would ask for the techniques directly. She could not wait any longer.

"Is something on your mind?" she asked.

"Yuki-chan, can you please teach me an attack technique?" she requested.

"Attack technique?" she repeated haughtily. "Why should I teach you an attack technique when you can't even fight with a sword decently?"

"Then, a defense technique?" Rika changed her request.

"No for the same reason," the spirit refused.

"Won't you teach me anything?"

"I taught you how to heal yourself."

"Stop being so stubborn!" Rika raised her voice at Yukianesa in anger for the first time. "I really need your help! I'm not playing with you right now!"

"W-W-What? What's with that tone?" the spirit was taken aback by her wielder's frustration towards her. "What did I do?"

"You're being selfish, that's what! Ever since we met, we've only been doing whatever you want! What about what I want?"

"Hmph! If you're going to be that way, then maybe I won't teach you anything!"

"It's not like you'll teach me anyway... You selfish brat..." Rika muttered as she turned away and laid her head on her pillow. Yukianesa did not miss the look of extreme hurt in her eyes. Feelings of guilt began to surface in her but she ruthlessly squashed them down. She really did not think Rika was ready for any of her techniques. But then again, she was not doing anything to help her get ready. Was Rika right? She quick shook her head in denial. Rika was just being mean. It was not Yukianesa's fault she could not fight properly... right?

_'Gah! This is so frustrating!' _Yukianesa screamed in her head. On one hand, she would rather not teach Rika too early. On the other hand, she would really hate to have her technique forced out of her by sheer power like her stupid brother did with Zangetsu. Who did he think he was, stealing the technique like that? Granted, Rika had forced the usage of one of her techniques, but that was only once. She never tried to force it out again, except for the time Urahara tried to make her do so.

"Master..." Yukianesa finally decided on a course for action.

"...What?" the spirit mentally sighed in relief. At least Rika was still willing to talk.

"I g-guess it wouldn't hurt to teach you one technique..." God, this was humiliating! Why was it so hard to admit one was wrong?

"...Really?" her wielder flipped over so she could see her.

"On one condition!" she added.

"I knew it, you don't mean it," Rika sounded really disappointed.

"What? No!" Yukianesa denied. "I was only asking that you play with me as promised first!" Rika looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding her head.

"Okay. Later then," she agreed.

"Why not now?" she pouted childishly, the tension between the two suddenly gone in an instant.

"Because I don't feel like it," Rika gave a cheeky smile to her spirit.

"Why you...!" Yukianesa refrained from throwing a temper tantrum.

"You shouldn't make that kind of face. It's bad for children," she scolded her lightly. That was the last straw for the spirit.

"I'm not a little girl! I'm a Zanpakutou!" she cried out in frustration. She was only contradicting herself by the stomping of her foot and her pouting.

"You're really cute, Yuki-chan," Rika giggled, throwing out a random compliment. Yukianesa spluttered in embarrassment for a few seconds before regaining her bearings. She turned away and huffed in slight anger, the redness on her face more pronounced due to her pale complexion. She mentioned that the cat was back and returned to the inner world.

True enough, Yoruichi returned with an unconscious Ichigo on her shoulder. Rika asked what happened, and she was told that Ichigo was force-fed anesthetic to ensure he would survive. She then asked about Ganju and Hanatarou and if Rukia had been rescued. She shook her head to all of them. Ganju and Hanatarou had been captured and detained and Rukia still remained in the Shrine of Penitence. Looking at her once again comatose brother, she figured Yoruichi had a plan.

"Do you have something in mind concerning nii-san?" Rika asked.

"Yes. I only brought your brother back because no-one there at the moment had any possibility of defeating Byakuya. However, he alone holds that possibility," Yoruichi explained. "Besides, there was another captain there. He won't recklessly kill anyone who would try to save his subordinate, even if they are enemies." She looked down at Ichigo. "As he is, he's not strong enough to defeat Byakuya. But I will train him so that he can defeat him."

"Um, Yoruichi-san. If I may, please train me as well," Rika pleaded. "I'm not even strong enough to play the part of support. I just want to keep nii-san safe. I just want the power to be able to do at least that."

"Alright. I will train you alongside your brother," she agreed. "But remember that this training is meant for Ichigo. Don't get so down if you can't keep up or fail to get the same results as him. What I can guarantee is that you will get stronger."

"Thank you very much, Yoruichi-san!" Rika bowed deeply in gratitude, a large smile on her face. Perhaps after the training, she would not be so useless in a fight.

Ichigo only regained consciousness when night fell. When he remembered what happened, he immediately became furious and demanded why he was the only one brought back to safety. He had the highest chance of survival against Byakuya.

"Nii-san, calm down! Yoruichi-san has a reason for all this!" Rika pulled him away.

"What reason is there? That was our biggest chance to getting Rukia out of there!" he snarled at Yoruichi.

"You would have died there!" she exclaimed, getting him to pay attention to her. "Yoruichi-san told me there was another captain there. Even if you won against Byakuya, what makes you think that other captain won't go after you next? Are you trying to say that you can defeat a captain hands down?" Thinking about her words made him realize that he would really have died if Yoruichi did not stop him. Just because that other captain did not take any action, she was probably right that even if he did win against Byakuya, he would probably be too injured to fight another captain and hope to escape alive. "You're too reckless, nii-san! Please, just stop and think for a little bit before you go charging off again!"

"But Ganju and Hanatarou are..." he said weakly.

"They'll be in prison, but they won't die. Don't worry about them. You should worry about yourself now," Yoruichi spoke up.

She led them up to a very familiar-looking area. Rika was quick to point out the similarity between this place and the basement of the Urahara Shop. Yoruichi started by asking if Ichigo knew his Zanpakutou was a 'full-time release' type. He stated that he did find it weird when the shape was totally different and nothing happened when he called out Zangetsu's name. She nodded, and then proceeded to reveal that all Zanpakutous had two types of release. One was Shikai, which both siblings had already obtained. The other was Bankai. Getting these two releases were one of the requirements to be a captain. All captains barring Zaraki Kenpachi had achieved Bankai. The difference in combat ability between Shikai and Bankai of a Zanpakutou could be generally thought as five to ten times stronger.

"Ten times?" Ichigo muttered, stunned by the potential of Bankai. Rika was similarly stunned, but she was having no hopes of achieving Bankai as easily as her brother likely would.

"Shocking degree of improvement, isn't it? Because of that, it requires over ten years of training, even for talented people," Yoruichi told them.

"W-Wait a minute! We don't have that much time to-"

"Of course I know that," she interrupted him. "But there is a way. It's fraught with peril, but through a completely different method, I'm going to make you achieve Bankai in three days."

**Author's Note: Rika has gotten into a small argument with Yukianesa concerning her powers. Yukianesa believes Rika is not ready, while Rika desperately wants the strength to stand beside her brother in combat, not behind him and being told to keep out of the fight because she was too weak. The spirit finally agrees to teach her something in exchange for the promised playtime. Rika's training will definitely be one of a kind.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	18. Bankai Playtime

Yoruichi took out some sort of human-shaped man-sized doll from behind a rock and showed it to them. It was called a Tenshintai, and it could forcibly materialize a Zanpakutou's true form. Ichigo asked why it was necessary for Bankai training. Yoruichi explained that a Shikai's requirement was dialogue and harmonization. A Bankai's requirement was materialization of the spirit and its submission. As opposed to a Shinigami going to their inner world to converse with their Zanpakutou, materialization had the spirit going to their world. Several years of training were needed for that, but during the fight with Kenpachi, she suspected something equivalent to materialization had happened with Ichigo.

She mentioned that if he stabbed Zangetsu into the Tenshintai, he could force its spirit to materialize. He could call its spirit out from his inner world. However, the forced materialization had a time limit of three days. In that time, Ichigo must, at all costs, defeat the materialized Zangetsu and force him into submission. If he could not... Ichigo silenced her by slamming Zangetsu into the Tenshintai.

"I don't wanna hear what happens if I can't," he said. "If there's no other way, I just have to do it." The doll abruptly emitted a dark light, and vanished while kicking up a strong gust. The figure of a middle-aged man dressed in a very long black coat appeared behind Ichigo. "Old man..."

Rika cautiously sensed for Zangetsu's reiatsu. She discovered that he felt almost the same as Ichigo with only a very slight difference in their signatures. Yukianesa felt the same way with her when she tried sensing her before. She was honestly surprised when she heard Ichigo had somehow materialized Zangetsu during their latest fight. She did not see the man at all.

"Rika, you're doing this too, right?" Ichigo asked her. Before she could nod in affirmative, she was interrupted by none other than Yukianesa who abruptly materialized herself behind Rika.

"No, she won't," her own Zanpakutou spirit told him. Rika nearly jumped in fright, but she did scream. She felt her face heat up upon seeing her spirit's teasing look as she walked up beside her. If Yukianesa wanted her to know she was around, the soft jingle of her bells would let her know. It was like a notice stating she had come to play. Yukianesa was able to silence her bells to see Rika's shocked expressions just for kicks.

"Ah! You're that brat from back then!" Ichigo pointed an accusing finger at Yukianesa.

"We meet again, Kurosaki Ichigo-san," she ignored his rudeness and gave him a curtsy in greeting.

"Why the hell are you here?" he demanded.

"Nii-san, that girl's my Zanpakutou. Her name is Yukianesa," Rika told him. Ichigo looked between the two of them almost disbelievingly.

"Hm? You've seen her before, Ichigo?" Yoruichi asked.

"She harassed my sister back in the Living World!" he shot the spirit an angry look who only seemed amused by his actions. "Anyway, why are you the one deciding she can't do Bankai training?"

"Why are _you _the one deciding she has to do Bankai training?" she sniped back with the same question.

"Because I'm her brother!" Ichigo felt insulted by that.

"And I'm her Zanpakutou," Yukianesa replied without missing a beat.

"Enough!" Yoruichi raised her voice to stop their bickering. "You've heard our conversation, right?" she asked Zangetsu.

"Of course," he replied.

"I'll leave the fighting method to you. Can you start right away?"

"Yes," he knelt down and placed a palm on the ground. A small tremor could be felt, and several swords vaguely in the shape of Zangetsu appeared all over the wasteland.

"What the hell's this?" Ichigo asked, looking over the area.

"Of all this, only one is the real me. Only that one can defeat me," he told him. "If you want to put me under submission, find it before I kill you. And slay me if you can." The both of them backed away from each other and grabbed a random sword. They rushed back in pitted their strength against each other.

"Can you see the point of this test, Master?" Yukianesa asked from Rika's side.

"Yes," she answered. "They are all pieces of Zangetsu, of nii-san. Nii-san has to find the one that holds his desire to fight."

"As expected of you. You are able to see the point just by looking at all the swords," she praised her wielder.

"I'm not telling him, though. That would be cheating."

"Yes, it would." They continued watching with Yoruichi, moving with the fighters whenever they changed locations. Rather, Ichigo was being thrown all over the place by Zangetsu. After receiving a powerful blow that rocked the place, Rika got a little too worried for her brother and confronted Zangetsu.

"Zangetsu-san, you're not really going to kill nii-san, right?" she asked.

"You do not need to worry," he simply told her before leaping towards his fallen wielder. Despite the short answer, Rika was relieved. He was only instilling the fear of death to make Ichigo fight his hardest. Seeing them fight reminded her that she needed to do her own training.

"Yukianesa, what about my training?" she asked her spirit.

"I'd rather not be interrupted while playing. We'll wait for them to be done," Yukianesa replied, watching Ichigo struggle to pick himself up despite his serious wounds.

"Try not to play too long, okay?" Rika frowned slightly.

"How long we play depends on you, Master," she turned to face Rika with mischief twinkling in her eyes, sending chills up her spine. She had a very bad feeling about the game Yukianesa had thought up. "Who knows? Perhaps even after we're done playing, you may want to continue the game." Now she had an even worse feeling about it as they continued watching Ichigo fight against his Zanpakutou spirit. Ichigo was learning how to fight without relying on Zangetsu's massive power extremely fast, and Rika could not help but feel a little jealous at how fast her brother was growing as a fighter.

She suddenly gasped in slight pain, almost like someone had just penetrated their hand into her body without actually touching it. It was a highly uncomfortable feeling. Her whole body was paralyzed, and she could only turn her head very slowly to where she thought the attack came from. To her shock, it was Yukianesa who was the culprit. She had an arm digging into her side and inside her body, and the very light blue-trimmed white aura of her reiatsu could be seen forming a hole for her to stick her arm in.

"Y-Yukianesa... What are you...?" It was so uncomfortable Rika could not talk coherently. Her frail voice caught Yoruichi's attention, and she stared at them with suspicious eyes, wondering what her Zanpakutou spirit was doing. Yukianesa had a look of slight concentration on her face before it turned into one of delight and withdrew her arm. In her hand was a vanilla milkshake, complete with cream topping along with a straw for her to drink with. Rika's eyes nearly bugged out at seeing it. Just how did Yukianesa take that out from inside her? She ignored the look she was given and happily slurped the beverage. Yukianesa dived her hand inside Rika again, making her unable to move. She fished around for a little bit before taking out another milkshake and held it out to her.

"You want one?" she asked. Rika nodded wordlessly and took it.

"How did you do that?" she asked the spirit.

"Do what?" she asked back.

"Take that out of my body!" she pointed to the milkshake she was drinking.

"Didn't I already tell you? All this food is made from your reiryoku. I can take them wherever and whenever I want." Rika could indeed feel a small portion of her reiryoku depleted.

"Don't just eat my reiryoku like that! I need it for the training later!" she protested.

"You'll be fine. Besides, I need it too to stay here," Yukianesa dismissed her concerns. "We'll be playing first, remember?" She could only grumble in defeat, muttering complaints over how her Zanpakutou was eating her own reiryoku as if it was food. Momentarily remembering about the milkshake in her hand, she decided to put the reiryoku back inside her by consuming it. It tasted exactly the same as the real thing despite it being made of reiryoku and disappearing the moment she swallowed. Once the drink was finished, the glass mysteriously disappeared from her hand. She told Rika the reiryoku used to construct the glass had returned to her.

Much to Yukianesa's irritation, Rika refused to let her get any more 'food' out of her, not until they were done training. Sulking, she continued to watch Ichigo get pounded by Zangetsu although as time went by the poundings got lesser. They kept on going until the time limit was up for Zangetsu, who suddenly turned back into the Tenshintai. Yoruichi called an end to the first day of training and led him to a hot spring. Ichigo took a well-deserved rest and bath, while Yukianesa declared that it was playtime after collecting some spring water with an ice container she conjured up. Rika nervously followed her spirit to a location quite a distance away from Ichigo. She set down the container of water and called out to Ichigo.

"Obaka-san, can you hear me?" she shouted.

"Who the hell are you calling Mr. Idiot?" he yelled back. "Just because you're Rika's Zanpakutou doesn't mean you get to act all cocky with me!"

"Oh? I didn't realize obaka-san meant you, onii-san," Yukianesa feigned surprise. They heard him mumble something about cheeky brats but it was unclear since they had to shout to hear clearly. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you that if you hear any weird noises, there's nothing to worry about." There was a grunt of acknowledgement from him, and she turned her attention to Rika. "Okay, Master. Sit here with your back facing me," she instructed. Rika did as she told, and totally missed the devious look on her face.

Ichigo was busy washing himself with Yoruichi joining him in her cat form when they heard a scream of surprise coming from Rika. "What the...?"

"What are you doing?" they heard Rika scream. "Stop that! It's- Hiiiii!" she squealed in the middle of her sentence.

"Don't worry, Master. This is just a game. Just bear with it, and then we can get to training," Yukianesa told her. She apparently wanted the two of them to hear what was going on.

"I'll hold you to it! I won't accept any- Ahhh!" Rika was interrupted by another bout of screaming. She did not sound like she was in pain, though. "Get it out! Get it out!"

As time flew by, Ichigo grew more and more disturbed by his sister's screaming. Her screaming was not getting any more intense, but instead it was descending into panting and moaning. And if he was hearing correctly and not his mind making things up, her voice sounded almost... erotic. Yoruichi did not miss out on it too.

"Oh? Sounds like something interesting is going on over there. Perhaps this is what that girl meant when she said weird noises?" Yoruichi snickered.

"Somehow I'm getting the feeling not all is right here..." Ichigo muttered. "I'm actually getting worried for Rika. Is she really okay?"

"Ahhh... No, no more... Ah... Stop, please... Yukianesa... Ah, ah..." Rika's pleading with moaning mixed in sounded almost criminally wrong to his ears. His mind began picturing obscene images, the clearest one being Yukianesa doing lewd things to Rika. His face turned red at the implication his own mind was giving him.

"No, I'm not stopping yet. This is getting fun," Yukianesa sounded happy. "Here, have some more."

"No, no- Ahh! Ah, ah! Ahhhnnn!"

"Yes, yes. Make your voice sound like that, Master. Actually, you shouldn't be making any sound but... Oh, this is so fun!"

"AAAAHHHHHH!"

"Alright, that's it! I'm stopping that brat! She's going too far!" Ichigo was just about ready to get into his shihakushou and cleave that irritable spirit in two with Zangetsu. He was stopped by Yoruichi who told him that Rika consented to this and it was not his place to interfere. She told him that Rika quickly understood the point of his own test, and she knew it was not her place to give him the answers. He was about to relent when Rika went into another bout of moaning and panting, and the voices she was making was really not helping him. "Hearing her like that is really making me want to tear that brat into pieces..." he growled.

"Relax. Just enjoy the sounds of their game," Yoruichi told him, an amused smirk on her feline face.

"How exactly am I supposed to enjoy hearing that? It sounds like she's getting molested back there!" he snapped. "Are you telling me she's actually consenting to molest?"

"Well, it is almost unheard of, but when Shinigamis and their Zanpakutous are of different genders, they just may end up loving each other. It is extremely rare for affectionate feelings of that level to surface in each other, but they do. They are stuck with each other until the Shinigami dies, so the term 'forever and ever' kind of fits the bill. And if they both consent, they can engage in sexual activity, usually in the inner world to prevent any chance of pregnancy for the female partner," she gave him a possible scenario. Ichigo turned pale when he heard that. He was secretly glad Zangetsu was a man and he himself was straight. He did not want to think about what might happen if either one of them was female. But now the problem was not about him. It was about his sister. She had been making all sorts of erotic sounds for about fifteen minutes straight with no end in sight.

"That brat's a girl, right? This is wrong from all kinds of angles!" Ichigo exclaimed, torn between helping his sister and leaving her alone. Still, the thought of girl-on-girl action did bring redness to his cheeks. Having the little girl initiate the activity instead of the teenage girl only made it worse. The only good part was that Rika would not be mistaken for a pedophile. She was the victim here, not the little girl that was her Zanpakutou.

"Ah... No more... I can't... Yukianesa... Please..." Rika begged for mercy from her tormentor.

"No can do!" Yukianesa chirped all too happily.

"Ahhh! Ah, ah, ah! Ha... ah... Stop..." Ichigo had heard enough. He quickly dressed himself, uncovered Zangetsu from its wrapping, and stomped his way over. Even if it was a little girl and it was his sister's Zanpakutou, he would not stand hearing his sister sound like she was being raped and molested. He would kick that girl's ass to Hell and back! When he hopped over the hill hiding the two females from view, he was stunned by what he saw.

**Author's Note: Ichigo's Bankai training is now underway, and Rika has to play some sort of game with Yukianesa before she would agree to training. From the sounds they were making, Ichigo is getting extremely suspicious of Rika's Zanpakutou spirit and just what kind of game she was making Rika play. It has gone to a point he cannot stand it anymore and goes over to stop her. Just what did he see? What game were the two girls playing?**

**Yukianesa has stated that she requires Rika's reiryoku to stay outside but no-one suspects anything strange about it, not even Rika. She doesn't know how materialization works on the Zanpakutou's side, so she lets it slide. The fact is that Zanpakutou spirits don't even need to consume energy while materialized. But for some reason, Yukianesa's materialization requires Rika's reiryoku to maintain herself in the outside world and she can take it whenever she pleases. Why is this so? The mystery of her materialization will be shed in another chapter or two.**

**The love between Shinigami and Zanpakutou as explained by Yoruichi is something that I implemented for the sake of Rika's training. It is not canon material. It's an original idea of mine. As weird as it sounds, things happen when a man and a woman are stuck together for a very long period of time, especially if one of them is living inside the other.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	19. A Gaming Mishap

"Nii...-san...?" Rika panted weakly on her knees, her arms in a position to help her sit up. To his embarrassment, the pose she was in looked almost... sexy. Her face was flushed and matted with sweat, and somehow her shihakushou had gotten loose enough for it to spill over her shoulders and expose the top half of her back. Yukianesa was standing dominantly above her and had a handful of water in her palm. She blew on it, and Ichigo could see tiny bits of frost form on the water. She sprinkled a little of it down Rika's exposed back and her eyes widened in shock. She let out a high-pitched scream at first, before she descended into moaning and panting. Ichigo could only stare, stunned at the display the two girls were putting on.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING?" he yelled with all his might at them, more specifically at Yukianesa. "YOU! What are you doing to Rika?"

"What? Can't you see? I'm pouring frosted water down her back," she stated the obvious.

"I know that! I'm asking why you're doing this!"

"Like I told you before, this is a game. The game ends when Master can stop being so sensitive to it."

"Who in the world won't react when water that cold gets poured down their back?" Yukianesa only pointed to the panting Rika.

"This is a punishment game," she told him with a huge smile on her face. "When she can stop making noises whenever I pour water down her back, the game ends and we can get to training." Her happy smile turned into a devilish one as she let the rest of the water in her hand pour down Rika's back. Another scream erupted from her mouth as she arched her back from the very cold touch. She regained just enough of her mouth to beg Yukianesa to stop. Tears of humiliation were pricking at the edges of her eyes. Rika was utterly regretting playing with her Zanpakutou. It resembled a game an S&M couple would play. Yukianesa was happily playing the role of sadist, while she was forced to be the suffering masochist.

"Cut it out already! You're making her cry!" Ichigo's brotherly instincts kicked into play.

"I don't see the problem," Yukianesa shrugged her shoulders. "Besides, she looks so adorable!" She watched his face turn red when his eyes took in the image Rika was giving. "Here, one more!" she had already scooped more water and frosted it.

"Aaahhh! No! No more! Please... Ah! Ah..." Rika cried pitifully. Ichigo could not stand hearing his sister like that any longer. He pointed the tip of Zangetsu threateningly at Yukianesa, making her stop and stare at his sword questioningly.

"Stop this now. Or I will stop you," he snarled. Instead of feeling frightened or even the least bit threatened, she scooped up more water, frosted it and dumped it down Rika's back before disappearing. She let out a scream even louder than all the previous ones and collapsed to the ground in a boneless heap. She was panting tiredly, but she was also trying to hold back her whimpers as tears of humiliation trailed down her face. She had involuntarily wet herself, in front of her brother no less. It was embarrassing enough to wet herself as a teenager, but to do it in front of her brother was like the highest form of humiliation she could receive.

"No! Don't look! Don't look at me, nii-san! Go away! Stay away from me!" she screamed hysterically.

"Rika..." Ichigo had never seen his eldest younger sister a broken mess like this before. Even when their mother died, the worst she had been was just crying non-stop because no-one was there to comfort her. When Masaki died, Rika gave her shoulder for Yuzu to cry on. Rika did her best not to let Karin feel lonely when parents came to pick up their children from school. Rika accompanied Ichigo during his never-ending strolls at the riverbank. Isshin buried himself in work for a period of time to deal with his own grief. In the end, Rika had no-one to comfort her. She was there for everybody, but they were not there for her. One day she completely broke down and cried all day, and it was that day the entire family comforted her. Ichigo apologized for not realizing she was feeling the same pain he was, Isshin apologized to all his children for not being there when they needed him most, and the twins apologized for never thanking her when she did her best to help ease their pain despite her own.

Ignoring the growing puddle of pee, Ichigo went over and scooped up his distraught sister in his arms. She immediately grabbed his shihakushou and cried silently into his chest, making muffled sobs every now and then. He took her to the hot spring and told her to take her time and clean herself. She reluctantly let go of him and went behind a rock to undress herself. Ichigo was about to leave when Rika requested him to stay with her. He sat down and leaned against the rock, hearing soft splashes of water behind him. He guessed that she did not want to be alone if Yukianesa decided to show herself again.

"What happened?" Yoruichi asked, trotting up to Ichigo still in cat form. She had sensed the desolate mood in the atmosphere when the siblings came back to the hot spring.

"I don't want to talk about it," he refused to give any details. "I think Rika's been traumatized."

"Mental fortitude can be one of the tests a Zanpakutou may give to its wielder," she reasoned.

"That wasn't a test! That despicable brat said it was a game! A game that made my sister suffer!" he shot to his feet in anger, forgetting that he just said he was not talking about it. The small hiccups and whimpers coming from Rika only proved his point.

"Perhaps you were right to stop them then," she mused. "There was a case, once, about a high-seat female Shinigami officer gone insane. She was put into an asylum at first, but she eventually killed herself by biting her own tongue off. It was rumored that she was training for Bankai, and the test she was given by her Zanpakutou, most likely a male, was to basically allow herself to get raped by him. It was indicated that she had fallen in love with the spirit until after her test was given. At least that was the most popular theory, according to the few people who heard her ramblings at the asylum. Ever since that incident, any Shinigami with opposing gender Zanpakutou are very strongly discouraged to foster any feelings of love for each other. Even Kisuke was given the talk, since Benihime is female."

"Urahara-san?" Ichigo was surprised the shopkeeper was brought in the conversation. "Come to think of it, just who is he?"

"You haven't figured it out yet?" she shook her head. "He's a Shinigami. You should already know this. He was the previous head of the 12th Division. He was also the founder and the first chief of the Shinigami Research & Development Institute."

"Seriously? That guy's really such a big shot?" he uttered in shock.

"It's nothing for you to worry about. Just take care of your sister," she advised him before leaving the area. Ichigo sat back down and closed his eyes. The first thing his mind flashed at him was the image of his humiliated sister. He was glad she was not the target of molestation, or else he really would have attacked Yukianesa. It was a sick game for sure, but he wondered if he really should have interfered. Would his actions cause her to miss out on valuable training? The game had not yet ended, and he interrupted it.

As for Rika, she simply propped her head on the rock and stared up at the ceiling with blank eyes. Her mind was constantly replaying the game that Yukianesa forced her to participate in. If she had known just what it was, she would have refused and asked for another game. The game looked innocent, as well as her explanation. She would pour frosted water down her back and if Rika could remain silent from its touch, the game would be over. It was a lot harder than it sounded like. After about seven minutes into the game, she was beginning to get exhausted from the all the screams she let out and the effort she put in just to hold them back. She remembered making all those lewd sounds and pitiful cries and pleading for Yukianesa to stop.

She was having too much fun to stop. Rika still could not keep quiet, so the game continued. Yukianesa was not wrong, and Rika could not blame her for foul play. However, that did not stop her from feeling extremely violated. It was almost ridiculous. The cold touch of the water was like someone tracing a finger down her back slowly and deliberately. Her reactions were very unsightly, and she knew it. She was feeling violated and molested by... what? Water? Ichigo came over after about fifteen minutes, feeling worried for her. Somehow, she was feeling too incensed to even tell him to go back. The water was just too cold for her to give a proper response. She just barely registered him threatening Yukianesa to stop, but she poured the frosted water down her back one last time before returning to her inner world. It was largest amount of water poured and when it touched her entire back, she just could not withstand the touch and it made her lose control of her bladder. Her body was not telling her that she needed to relieve herself. She just did.

She never realized her eyes had produced tears until after she fell to the ground. When she managed to think through the cold touch, she had already wet herself in front of Ichigo. At that point, she began crying tears of humiliation. Her brother had seen for himself one of the lowest points she had gotten herself in. She vaguely remembered screaming at him to go away, but being the brother that he was, ignored her and brought her to the hot spring to clean herself. She was inwardly thankful for his actions and told him to stay when he was about to leave. She wanted his presence around for the time being. The gentle jingling of bells alerted her to Yukianesa's presence.

_"I can't believe our game was interrupted!" _she whined. _"And it was getting so fun, too!"_

"...Fun? You humiliated me in front of nii-san!" Rika hissed darkly.

_"Who cares about him?" _she brushed the topic aside._ "Anyway, the game isn't over yet. We'll continue later."_

"It is over! I never want to play that game ever again!" she declared. "And don't you dare tell me it was preparation for training!"

_"But it is," _she told her bluntly._ "One of my techniques requires the use of your entire body. If you don't get used to the cold, you just might die from it if you ever need to use that technique."_

"...But why did you have to do that?" she asked softly.

_"I told you already, it's-"_

"I was scared!" she screamed out, causing Ichigo to come over and see what was wrong. "It was like I was just one step away from being raped! I'm scared!" Seeing her brother, she scrambled over to him and hugged him for dear life.

"It's okay, Rika. There's no-one here. Relax," he told her soothingly, wrapping an arm around her protectively as she burst into tears. Inside her inner world, Yukianesa was shocked. She did not mean to make Rika think she was about to get raped! It was just a game meant for her to get ready for training! Psychological trauma was not supposed to be involved at all! She only meant to tease her!

_"No, Master! Please don't misunderstand! I didn't mean it that way at all!" _she tried to explain, but Rika was too distraught to hear what she had to say. _"Master, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"_ When it seemed that she did not hear her, she materialized herself only to find the tip of Zangetsu pointed right in front of her nose. "What's the meaning of this?" she asked Ichigo.

"Shut up and go back to the inner world," he snarled. "Go back now, or I'll make you go back by force."

"Don't tell me what to do," she returned his hateful glare with equal ferocity. She quickly dropped it in favor of looking at Rika. "Master, it's me, Yukianesa," she called out to her. "It's okay. I won't hurt you."

"Nii-san, help me! It's here! It's coming for me! Help me!" Rika hastily hid herself behind her brother, leaving only her head exposed to peek at her. Yukianesa could tell from the fearful look in her eyes that she was not seeing her, but something else in her place. She was seeing that something coming to get her, probably to rape her. When she reached out an arm, Rika screamed and ducked behind Ichigo who smacked her arm away none too gently. At least he did not cut it off.

"I told you to go back!" he growled at her. "Talk to her when she's calmed down! For now, don't show yourself around us!"

"Master..." Yukianesa reluctantly returned to her inner world, where a very heavy snowstorm was taking place. She looked outside the cottage window sadly, hardly believing her game caused such disastrous effects. She truly, honestly had not meant to make Rika so afraid of her. Not exactly her, she supposed, but she was hallucinating her image for something coming to rape her. It was bad enough. "Master, I love your inner world. I love everything about it, but when your feelings are in turmoil, a natural disaster happens. It's normally snow falling gently, and when you're happy, beautiful snowflakes can be found among the falling snow. I hope you recover soon, Master. I hate this... I want to play with you again..." she whispered, silently wishing for the well-being of Rika.

**Author's Note: Yukianesa's game has gone in a totally wrong direction. The rules are very plain and simple: if Rika can prevent herself from making a noise when she is hit with frosted water, the game is over. The problem happens around the time Ichigo comes over to check. Rika has somehow viewed herself as a target for rape, and Yukianesa is the pursuer. Or rather, a hallucination her mind placed on Yukianesa's image. To the spirit, it is just an innocent game meant to prepare Rika for her training. She never expected it to give her trauma. She tries to salvage the situation but Rika has been too affected to think straight.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	20. Training, Start!

Rika had very little rest that night, constantly being woken up by nightmares and jumping at every single shadow she saw. When dawn came, she had finally calmed down enough to think rationally again. Sighing, she made her way over to the hot spring to take a morning bath while Ichigo was already awake and doing warm-ups in preparation for the second day's training.

"Are you alright now?" he asked, getting up from his exercises just as she was done bathing.

"Yes..." she answered glumly. "I owe Yukianesa an apology, don't I?" She felt she had over-reacted way too much. Even if she was scared out of her wits, and perhaps Yukianesa did go a bit too far with her game, there was no excuse for Rika to shun her like that.

"What?" he was shocked. Apparently, he believed otherwise. "Why would you give that brat an apology?" Rika shook her head in disagreement, stating that Yukianesa only had her best interests in mind. She wished to get stronger, and she had no right to treat her Zanpakutou like that when she was complying with her wishes. "You're going too easy on her!" he protested. "You nearly had a nervous breakdown just hours ago!"

"I don't see you complaining about Zangetsu trying to kill you," she told him, putting her hands at her sides angrily.

"That's different! He's..." Ichigo's brain caught up with his mouth, and he became lost for words. Just what exactly was different? "Uh..."

"The only difference is how each of them wants to train us. They both want to get us stronger," she gave him an answer. "I'll go talk to Yukianesa. Tell me when Yoruichi-san comes." She got into her Jinzen pose and meditated. It did not take her long to enter her inner world. Yukianesa was nowhere to be seen in the snow plains, so she must be in the cottage. She walked in, and saw her sitting up in surprise at her presence. It seemed she had been moping around in her bed.

"Master!" she exclaimed.

"Yuki-chan, were you... crying?" Rika swore the girl's eyes were puffy.

"No! Not really! I wasn't!" she denied straight away, getting into her arrogant and prideful demeanor. Rika smiled and sat beside her on the bed. She ruffled the girl's hair affectionately, making her squeak in surprise.

"I was such a bad sport, wasn't I?" she said. "You were only trying to make me stronger, and I..."

"No! No! It was my fault! I should have chosen a better method of training! I made you scared of me!" she turned around to face Rika with a desperate look in her eyes, switching demeanors instantly. "Forgive me, Master! I won't do it again!"

"It's okay. The one at fault here is me. I should never have reacted like that. Shows how weak I am..." Rika smiled sadly at herself.

"Master..."

"But you did humiliate me though! And in front of nii-san! I won't forgive you for that!" Rika switched demeanors herself, causing Yukianesa to stare at her incredulously.

"What? But you just said you're the one who's wrong! Why are you suddenly blaming me?" she demanded, bristling at the implied accusation.

"You made me wet myself!" she accused her like a judge declaring a criminal guilty.

"...You did?" the girl looked blankly at her. Her face then morphed into one of glee and burst out laughing.

"Hey! Why are you laughing? It's not funny!" Rika shouted indignantly, her face red from embarrassment and shame. How did this happen? How did Yukianesa suddenly one-up her in the conversation? First it was her pleading for forgiveness and the next she was getting the last laugh? It did not make any sense! The laughter began to grate on her nerves. "Enough already! Stop laughing at me!" The laughter ceased for a moment until Yukianesa pointed out that she was pouting. She immediately turned pale. "I was not pouting... I was not pouting..." she muttered in desperate denial.

"Okay, okay," Yukianesa managed to stop her laughter. "We'll train for real later. But promise me you won't complain about anything!"

"Fine, I promise. But you better not think up anything weird or funny!" she frowned at her spirit. Yukianesa turned her head away with a small blush on her cheeks, only confirming her suspicions. "I knew it! You cheeky little girl!"

"I resent that!" she glared back. "But alright. There will be no funny business this time around."

"Thank you, Yuki-chan. It's a promise," she gave her a quick hug and ruffling of her hair before returning to the outside world, leaving her sitting on the bed with her clothes slightly tussled and her hair disheveled from the contact. Rika returned to the outside world just as Ichigo was about to call her over. Yoruichi brought out the Tenshintai and Ichigo drove Zangetsu into it, calling out the spirit again to resume their battle. Before they could start, Yukianesa materialized herself and went up to Ichigo.

"What?" Ichigo grunted, feeling his great mood starting to slip just by seeing her. She only looked back with amusement in her eyes. She beckoned him to lower himself to her height. When he did...

SLAP!

Everyone was mildly shocked by her action except for Zangetsu who only watched with a neutral expression. She had hit hard enough to leave a hand print on his cheek.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR, YOU DAMN BRAT?" he exploded in fury, grabbing a nearby sword and raising it above his head in preparation for cleaving the despicable girl in two.

"You've got a lot of nerve trying to separate me from Master," she told him before returning to Rika's side.

"Yukianesa, why did you do that?" Rika immediately reprimanded her Zanpakutou who only gave her an innocent look. She could hear Ichigo practically growling like an animal as he stalked towards them. "I'm so sorry, nii-san! Please forgive her! She's just a little girl!" she pleaded to her brother.

"What little girl? That devil is only using a little girl's form!" he snarled. He nearly snapped when Yukianesa stuck her tongue out at him from behind Rika who was pleading with him for leniency. He only restrained himself for the sake of his sister. "Okay... Relax, me... Don't lose yourself to this brat..." he muttered to himself, closing his eyes to help him concentrate. No-one saw the glint of mischief shining in Yukianesa's eyes as she discreetly made her way in front of him.

STOMP!

"ARGH!" he hopped around on one leg, holding the other up because of an injured foot courtesy of said Zanpakutou. "I'll kill you, you little brat!" he cursed, trying to fight off the pain.

"No! Save me, Master!" Yukianesa cried out dramatically and way too cheerfully behind Rika who sweatdropped. With a deadpanned look, she stepped to the side and pushed her to the front. "M-Master...?" she called nervously.

"You need to be punished for your actions," she told her like a mother would to her misbehaving child. She immediately tried to escape but was held in place by Rika.

"Punishment time, you arrogant prick!" Ichigo let out an almost evil laugh.

"Be gentle to her, nii-san. She's just a child," Rika asked for some mercy.

"As if I would-" He was interrupted by a scream of pain from Yukianesa who was hit to quite a distance away.

"Nii-san! That was too harsh!" she scolded him and rushed to her Zanpakutou's side.

"Huh?" he exclaimed. "I didn't even touch her yet!"

"Are you okay, Yukianesa?" she helped her up. Yukianesa looked up at Rika with wet glossy eyes, tears pooling at her eyelids and lips trembling. She suddenly glomped her and started crying into her shihakushou.

"Master!" she wept. "The mean onii-san bullied me!"

"Huh? Don't start saying such random crap! I didn't even do anything!" Ichigo denied angrily.

"Nii-san, I'm disappointed in you!" Rika glared at her brother, stroking Yukianesa's head soothingly. Because of that, she missed Yukianesa's victorious smirk directed towards Ichigo. He saw that.

"She's just putting up an act!" he jabbed a finger at her. She turned to face Yukianesa who looked up with the wet glossy eyes, tears still gathering and spilling at her eyelids. Rika accused him of trying to push the blame to Yukianesa, and missed seeing her shoot a look that yelled 'I own you, loser!' at him. "Bitch..." he growled under his breath and turned back to Zangetsu who was waiting patiently for him.

"Focus, Ichigo. Calm your anger," Zangetsu advised him before they started. Ichigo took in deep breaths to force oxygen into his head and help it cool down. Once his breathing stabilized, they continued their battle from where they left off. In the meantime, Yukianesa had dried her tears and 'regained' her composure convincingly and went off to another section of the wasteland to begin Rika's training.

"Okay, Master. First of all, I will say that I believe you are not ready," she told her seriously. "However, since you insist, I will teach you regardless. I will teach you the very first attack you did when you first released me."

"Whenever you are ready," Rika unsheathed her Zanpakutou and released it.

"First and foremost, you must learn how to give your reiatsu the element of ice," she told her. "I don't think you realized it, but you have subconsciously done this before when we first met that disgusting scruffy man."

"Ganju-san?" Rika put a name to the description. She recalled grabbing his shirt and pulling him down, but failed to remember doing anything with her reiatsu. "I don't really recall everything... How do you give reiatsu an element?"

"It is somewhat similar to how that man taught your brother how to draw his reiryoku. Imagine giving your reiatsu a shape. Any shape will do," she instructed. Rika did as she was told, closing her eyes to give her a better mental image. She imagined a circle and directed her reiatsu to form that shape. "Now you'll have to coat your reiatsu with my element. Think of it like a can of paint and you are painting it on your reiatsu." That was simple. Rika always had an easy time with her imagination. It came from her childhood habit of imagining storybook characters come to life while she read.

She imagined a can of paint with the label 'Ice' pasted on it. A paintbrush appeared and dipped itself into the paint. The hairs were covered with snow-like substance and it glittered with diamond dust. She mentally directed it to paint the circle of reiatsu and it obeyed. Up and down. Up and down. It went on that way until a need to sneeze made itself known.

"ACHOO!" she sneezed, her mental image broken and she wrapped her arms around herself, feeling extremely cold all of a sudden. "W-W-What is t-t-this?" her teeth chattered. "I-It's so c-c-cold!" She rubbed her legs against each other to give herself some extra warmth.

"What are you doing, Master?" Yukianesa asked, giving her a critical look. "You painted the entire circle over and over again, didn't you?" At her shivering nod, she sighed tiredly. "I told you to only coat your reiatsu, not cover it with the element." Rika nodded again and asked why she was feeling so cold. "You can't handle that level of elemental manipulation. You called too much of it, and you can't control that much yet. Besides, you don't have much resistance to the cold, and that only makes your control worse. Because of your stupid brother, we had to cancel our game," her stern expression turned into a childish pout.

"E-Enough about t-that!" Rika yelled. Her body felt like it was trying to freeze itself to the ice age. "H-H-How do y-you make it g-go away?"

"The element? Just will it away," she answered like it was something obvious. Rika quickly imagined her circle of iced reiatsu and thawed out the element. She felt her body quickly warm back up to its usual temperature. "Feel better? If you had successfully cleared the game, you wouldn't be feeling that cold at all," she chided her wielder.

"Don't talk about it anymore!" Rika tried to make her Zanpakutou drop the subject. It was easily the most embarrassing and humiliating moment of her life! Was she never going to let her live it down? She saw Yukianesa conjure up a large high-definition speaker made entirely of ice and wondered what she was going to do with it.

_"Ahhh... No, no more... Ah... Stop, please... Yukianesa... Ah, ah..."_

Rika felt like a dynamite just went off inside her head. Her face easily rivaled that of a steamed lobster. Yukianesa recorded that? Hearing herself like that made her sound like a slut! On the other side of the training, the recording sounded very loud and clear. Yoruichi burst out laughing and Ichigo stumbled on a loose rock, planting his face into the ground from the major distraction. Fortunately, no-one saw his reddening face or heard his muffled cursing. He swore he would one day get that girl back for everything!

"YUKIANESA!" Rika's frustrated cry of despair rang throughout the wasteland followed by uncontrollable giggling from her Zanpakutou.

**Author's Note: It's the second day of Bankai training and Rika is getting some real training done at last. She has patched things up with Yukianesa and their relationship is back to normal. She is now training how to control her ice element. Ichigo and Yukianesa are pretty hostile towards each other, but only she is having fun about it.**

**Ichigo dislikes her because of Rika's near breakdown, while Yukianesa dislikes him because he tried to separate her from Rika. They are basically fighting over who has the most right to decide what's best for Rika. Their first confrontation ends with Yukianesa's victory due to the overwhelming manipulation only a child can do. Or someone who looks like a child. This is the very first situation where Yukianesa doesn't kick up a fuss about being labeled as a little girl since it is advantageous for her. Ichigo is holding a grudge against her for that, swearing to get revenge some time in the future.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	21. An Attack At Last

Rika immediately destroyed the ice structure to save herself from further embarrassment and to stop Yukianesa from laughing. She did stop but nothing could hide the mirth that still showed on her face. She told Rika to try to coat her reiatsu again. She shot her a dirty look before closing her eyes to make her mental image clearer. This time, she made sure to paint just one layer of the ice element. Once done, she opened her eyes to confirm if anything had happened. Her body felt a little bit cooler than before. She found the slightly cooler temperature much more comfortable than the normal temperature.

"Wonderful feeling, isn't it?" Yukianesa asked, seeing Rika much more relaxed and at ease. Rika nodded in agreement, basking herself in the cool feeling. "Keep practicing doing it until you can do it with a mere thought," she advised. "But for now, we'll use your meager control and learn some techniques. We can't have you lose every single fight, can we? Today we will remove the gracelessness that is you."

"...Why does it feel like you're insulting me in a polite manner?" Rika's eyebrow twitched in irritation.

"Just your imagination, Master," she denied even though Rika was right. "The first step to most of my techniques is to transfer that coated reiatsu to the Zanpakutou. Try it." Rika did as she was told, but Yukianesa told her the reiatsu was not coated in the element. She tried again, but still no success. The worst thing was that she herself was not sure if it was successful or not besides being told she failed. "Master, you're not sending the element. You are just coating your reiatsu and then sending it bare. You have to transfer the element as well," Yukianesa frowned at her.

"But how?" Rika asked.

"If I told you that, you would learn nothing," she did not gave any inkling of a clue. Rika sighed in slight irritation before closing her eyes to help her focus. She had gotten transfering reiatsu down pat, but the element transferring seemed a little out of her reach. She had to figure out a way to send it to Yukianesa. After an hour of trial and error, she finally managed to send just a small amount of the element over to Yukianesa. She had gotten bored enough that she sat down on a nearby hill and swung her legs back and forth. Rika tried to remember how she did it but it managed to evade her. After many more failed attempts, she finally got it down but the rate of transfer was far too slow. She had imagined the ice element as the paint she used before, and just gave the entirety of it to Yukianesa.

Yukianesa finally got to her feet and materialized her own Shikai sword in her hand. She congratulated Rika's success and encouraged practice so she did not have to focus for so long for the element to be transferred. She swung her Zanpakutou in an almost lazy manner, and an icicle rapidly shot out from the tip and smashed into a nearby rock. The rock was cracked, but was not heavily damaged.

"What was that?" Rika asked, not particularly impressed about that display of technique.

"As you can see, I can shoot icicles from just a simple swing of my sword. It's not particularly powerful, but it does have its uses, such as being a projectile for long-range combat," Yukianesa explained.

"I suppose so, but is this a reiatsu-consuming technique? How much does this cost?" she asked.

"Don't be silly. All techniques require reiatsu to be activated unless it's a passive ability. As for how much, I'd say 5%," she estimated.

"Anything particular about this technique?"

"You really don't want to leave anything out, do you?"

"No. I have to learn and apply any and all techniques to their best efficiency, even the weak ones."

"Very good. You realized this technique is not useless. It is not powerful, true. However, it nullifies defenses such as the one Zaraki Kenpachi naturally has and cannot be defended against bare-handed. Meaning, the enemy cannot use any part of their body to block it. They have to use something, such as their Zanpakutou."

"But doesn't everyone use their Zanpakutou for blocking as well?"

"You'd be surprised, Master. This technique is deceptively weak, as well as deceptively useful." Yukianesa dismissed her Zanpakutou and gestured for Rika to try. She told her to imagine her coated reiatsu as an icicle and she was launching it like a bullet through a swing of her sword. What came out was not an icicle, but only ice encasing the blade. She was not aiming for that, though.

"What is this?" Rika was curious about it.

"That happens when you only partially release the coated reiatsu. Other than being simply encased in ice, your sword loses its cutting edge and becomes a blunt object," she explained. "And before you ask, you still end up paying the cost. Now get back to trying to shoot that icicle." Rika was a little disheartened at her failure but quickly regained her spirit and tried again. She received mixed results for her efforts. She ended up encasing her sword more than half the time. The remainder had gotten her either simply swinging with no result or shooting the projectile. "I want you to master this technique first and foremost," Yukianesa told her. "This is the foundation of most of my stronger attack techniques. You will master this before we can proceed. Try shooting at least ten in a row without breaks for starters."

"But what about my reserves?"

"I'm temporarily making all your attacks cost-free for this training. Don't hold yourself back," she said. Before Rika could proceed, the entrance to the wasteland exploded into a huge cloud of dust, like someone had made their way in forcefully. When that someone wondered out loud what Ichigo was doing all the way out here, the intruder was revealed to be Renji. Apparently he was trying to complete his own Bankai training and his Zanpakutou, Zabimaru, had the form of a baboon with a snake for a tail. He had lost all hostility for Ichigo, now giving his support in their endeavour to save Rukia by telling them that the execution date for her had been changed to tomorrow noon. He claimed he was not going to interfere with Ichigo's Bankai training, and proceeded to go to another section of the wasteland. He did not know Rika had stationed herself there.

"My sister's there. Go somewhere else," Ichigo informed him.

"Your sister?" Renji asked, puzzled. According to what he had heard, there was a rumored sixth ryoka that had only been seen by Yumichika, Kenpachi, and a handful of 11th Division members. After that, no-one else found that particular ryoka.

"Yeah, so find another place to do your training," Ichigo told him, returning his eyes to Zangetsu. Renji ignored him and went over to Rika's location anyway just to see what she looked like. He found her quite attractive. She was not as petite as either Rukia or Hinamori, and her bust was not as ridiculously huge as Matsumoto's. Contrary to popular belief, he was more embarrassed by the fact she was showing so much cleavage rather than the size of her breasts. That was because most female Shinigamis had their bust size hidden by the natural design of the shihakushou unless they tampered with it. Matsumoto was the only one to do so. Rukia and Hinamori could almost be passed off as flat-chests even though they honestly were not. If the busts were of sufficient size, then their chest just might be visible through the clothes. Rika's bust did form two small 'hills' on her chest. Barely visible, but they were there. In Renji's eyes, she was like the ideal girl, flawless in terms of appearances at least.

"You're Ichigo's little sister?" he asked.

"Kurosaki Rika," she gave her name. "You are Abarai Renji, I suppose? Nii-san told me about you." She looked at him with a calculating gaze, pointedly wondering if he was here to cause trouble. Yukianesa watched quietly, but she seemed to be on guard. They exchanged a few words before he went to another part of the wasteland to finish up his own Bankai training. When he left, Rika asked for a five minute break. Something was off and did not match with what Urahara had told her. He had said the people who decided on how Soul Society was run was a group of nobles referred to as the Central 46. They were considered royalty and the ruling class of Soul Society. According to Urahara, they had never onced changed or reversed any of their decisions, whether it was for better or worse. Hearing them moving up the date of the execution sounded extremely suspicious to Rika. She would never claim to know everything there was to know about Soul Society, but this just felt wrong.

She mentioned her suspicions to Yoruichi who looked quite doubtful about her words. When asked for the basis of her suspicions, she told her what Urahara had explained to her, and that she felt the Central 46 did not seem to be the type to make any second guesses over their decisions. Constantly changing the execution date as said by Renji seemed very fishy. Rika also mentioned offhandedly why a public execution was to be done to a regular Shinigami such as Rukia. She thought those were reserved for those with high standings like lieutenants or captains.

Hearing her explanations made alarms ring in Yoruichi's mind. By all that is the afterlife, the girl was right! Execution by the Soukyoku was reserved only for traitorous captains. There was never an exception, not even once! Kuchiki Rukia was not even a seated officer! She could not believe she had overlooked that detail. A hundred years away from combat and the Soul Society had certainly dulled her abilities. Unfortunately, she could not begin an investigation. She had to teach the Kurosaki siblings Shunpo sometime today or else they would never survive against a captain, especially if they were planning on storming the Soukyoku Hill.

Rika spent half the morning mastering the icicle shot. She had even been able to do fifteen shots in a row before having to pause to catch her breath. Yukianesa had returned to the inner world earlier and materialized herself again when she was done. Her next task was to gather as much as coated reiatsu as she could into her sword and releasing it all at the same time. Yukianesa performed the technique once for demonstration. She wound up her arm for a strong swing and many icicles shot out from the blade. They were not the same icicles Rika had been shooting out. They were smaller but definitely a lot faster. When they made contact with a nearby hill, each individual icicle exploded into a bigger one, resembling a crystal. They piled on each other and soon the entire hillside was encased in ice crystals. Rika quickly started practicing without having to be told. Unfortunately, the rest of the morning was met with failure. Not totally, but it was still a failure. Rika managed to replicate the move, but it was just not numerous enough or the icicles did not expand upon contact. She became very dismayed with herself.

"Master, you have to get this technique down perfectly," Yukianesa urged. "If this technique hits, the opponent will be immobilized long enough for you to close in and deliver a fatal strike. If it misses, it will provide an ice wall if you are aiming towards the ground. However, you can't afford to botch its execution. If you mess up, you won't get the desired result or the move might not even be launched. This technique also requires 100% of your reiatsu. Do you understand?"

"A... A hundred percent?" Rika nearly blanched when she heard the reiatsu cost. "I get that this is a big technique, but 100% is just way too much! I'll collapse if I ever use that!"

"What do you think my absorption is for?" Yukianesa huffed in slight displeasure at her reaction. "If you can truly wield me effectively, you will never need to use your own reserves for any of my techniques. You will almost never drop below 100%. In case you didn't realize, you are practically using your opponent's reiatsu for the cost in place of your own. You shouldn't be complaining about this, Master. It's disgraceful."

"S-Sorry..." Rika awkwardly apologized. It felt weird having a little girl scold her. Nonetheless, she got back to her training and finally managed to get her first successful usage around the same time Ichigo learnt to fire that blue light he used during Urahara's training at will. Renji had completed his Bankai training earlier in the afternoon and went off to attempt to rescue Rukia on his own. Rika paused to listen to Zangetsu say that knowing and not knowing a technique's name had a very vast difference to the power it generated. That slash attack Ichigo had been performing was aptly named Getsuga Tenshou.

"Come to think of it," Rika looked at Yukianesa. "Do your techniques have names?"

"Of course. That icicle move has no name, since it's a basic move of mine. However, that technique that you just successfully performed is called..." Yukianesa paused for unneeded dramatic effect. Rika knew it but was helplessly drawn into the suspense.** "Koori no Ame."**

**Author's Note: Rika finally gets two attack techniques out of Yukianesa. One major and one minor. The major one is the very first attack she performed subconsciously during Urahara's training. Only major attacks have names attached to them.**

**Koori no Ame - Ice Rain**

**Description: Rika gathers all of her reiatsu into Yukianesa and fires out many small icicles that expand upon contact, effectively trapping the opponent in place for a follow-up attack and extremely difficult to defend against. In case of a miss, contact with the ground will cause the icicles to pile upon themselves and make up a wall of ice for defense. A multi-purpose attack that has a reiatsu cost of 100%.**

**Icicle Shot**

**Description: A basic projectile attack. Weak in terms of attack power but has the ability to bypass reiatsu-based defenses. It also cannot be defended against by any part of the body. It must be defended with an object such as a Zanpakutou. An example would be an enemy cannot swat this attack away even if he could brush aside a hadou with greater power with his bare hands. He has to destroy it using a weapon or counter with a projectile of his own. Has a 5% reiatsu cost per shot.**

**Naturally, Rika is stunned by the fact the major technique basically eats up the entirety of her reiatsu, and realizes she can't use it at the very start upon releasing unless she wants to suffer from spiritual fatigue. Yukianesa counters by saying that all of her moves require some sort of cost, and her absorption is for that purpose. The Kurosaki siblings will undergo Shunpo training with Yoruichi in the next chapter.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	22. Go Go Shunpo

After her first success at using the Koori no Ame, her next few attempts all lacked the same result. She was chewed out by an irate Yukianesa whose mood had dropped down the deep end after seeing so many failed tries. Unwilling to give up, she persevered until her own two hands were suffering from frostbite. She finally managed to master the technique, but by that point her hands were left totally numb and ice flakes were falling from them. Yukianesa called for a stop unless Rika wanted her hands to be permanently damaged and lost their sense of touch.

When she went to sit besides Yukianesa, she dug her hand into her side, causing her to yelp in surprise as her body froze up. Yukianesa soon removed her hand, withdrawing a small tube of ice-cream and a spoon. Ignoring her wielder's disapproving look, she happily ate her dessert. Seeing her eat reminded Rika of what she had said before.

"Yukianesa, you said that you needed my reiryoku to stay here in the outside world, right?" Rika asked, and the spirit nodded. "Does materialization consume your energy?"

"Normally, no," Yukianesa replied. "But my materialization is different." She smiled in slight amusement at her wielder's confused look. "Let's look at Zangetsu and your stupid brother for a moment, shall we?" She stood up and made her way over to Ichigo with Rika following. She did chide her about how rude it was to call Ichigo stupid. When they could see the two men, it looked like Ichigo was beginning to push Zangetsu back and getting the upper hand. "As you can see, both of them are fighting quite hard. Manifestation is simply calling us Zanpakutous out of the inner world, that's all. It does not consume our energy. If it did, Zangetsu would not be able to push your brother that hard. As for me, I am manifesting myself out of my own free will. It's a personal ability of mine. I can forcefully materialize myself, but I consume my reiatsu for as long as I'm out here. That's why I have to occasionally consume your reiryoku to restore my reiatsu," she explained.

"I... see..." Rika was very disheartened when she heard that. She had thought she had gotten one step closer to Bankai. Being told that it was not her manifesting Yukianesa outside of her inner world but rather at the spirit's own whim dashed any hopes of her getting the second release. Still, she thought things out clearly and reasoned that she had no right to Bankai when she did not know majority of her Zanpakutou's many implied abilities. She only had three techniques under her belt.

The two girls took their time resting and watched Ichigo defeat Zangetsu and force him to submit. Yukianesa noted from the corner of her eyes that although Rika was smiling happily for her brother, there was a bitter undertone hidden beneath her smile. There was no reason for her to be bitter towards her brother, so that meant she felt she was still too weak to be of any help to him. There was hurt in her eyes, and was that jealousy she spotted? That jealousy quickly vanished and was replaced with pride.

Zangetsu told Ichigo to try out his Bankai before he returned to Ichigo's inner world, leaving the Tenshintai behind. Ichigo got into a stance and focused all his reiatsu into bringing out his second release. After gathering enough of it, he stuck Zangetsu out in front of him, and the hilt wrap encircled themselves around his right arm.

"BANKAI!" he yelled, and a hurricane of dust was kicked up around him. Yukianesa conveniently returned to the inner world to avoid being dirtied, leaving Rika high and dry to nearly be blown off her feet. Just as sudden as it came, it was all cleared away when Ichigo's reiatsu stabilized itself. His shihakushou was gone, and it was replaced with a long form-fitting black coat that was similar to the coat worn by Zangetsu. The huge cleaver was gone, and was replaced with a completely black katana. It had a manji for the guard and a short chain with a broken link at the base of the hilt.

As plain as it looked, as small as it looked, it was still a Bankai. It was not to be underestimated. However, to Rika, something was wrong. She did not know why Zangetsu's Bankai was that small, but the explosive increment of Ichigo's reiatsu was literally trying to crush his body with its sheer pressure. Ichigo did not look like he was feeling any sort of strain. Was he really alright? She wanted to speak out and warn him of the dangers, but decided not to in fear of wounding his pride after he worked so hard for this power. He gave his Bankai a test run, and discovered that he was a lot faster than he ever could be in Shikai. Yoruichi was extremely pleased that Ichigo had gained his Bankai and proceeded to call both siblings together for the Shunpo lesson before night arrived.

It was a rather simple thing to do: focus reiatsu into your legs and then decide where you want to go. The reiatsu gathered in the legs would give a massive boost in speed and allow the person to move from one point to another in a flash. Yoruichi explained that the lesser steps they took in their Shunpo to get to their desired location, the less winded they would be and their speed would be considerably higher as well. Ichigo had disengaged his Bankai and practiced in Shikai, similarly with Rika who resealed her Zanpakutou. They had difficulties at first and their troubles were polar opposites. Ichigo had trouble gathering his reiatsu to his feet, thus giving his Shunpo a 'start-up time' but other than that he was fine. Rika had no problems with gathering her reiatsu, but had trouble stopping her Shunpo at her desired location. Her vision could not keep up with the speed her body was moving at, thus making her misjudge her distance. Yukianesa broke down in laughter when she Shunpo-ed herself into the side of a hill, crashing into it face-first.

Rika staggered backwards while clutching her nose painfully. Tears of pain pricked at the corners of her eyes as she squeezed her nostrils shut, trying to stem her nosebleed. Her nose was thankfully not broken, but it was extremely sensitive. Ichigo fussed over her minor injury before she shooed him away, saying she was fine. Yoruichi asked if she had a problem with her Shunpo. Rika mentioned that she could not see clearly enough to decide when to stop her Shunpo at her desired location. Everything became a blur to her when she moved.

Yoruichi only nodded but claimed she could do nothing to help her. The only advice she could give was to keep doing Shunpo until her eyesight could keep up with that level of speed. She stressed that she had to be able to see moving objects that fast, or Shunpo would do little else but hamper her during a fight. Rika doubled her efforts to get her vision to keep her with her speed but it was not easy sailing for her. Surprisingly, Ichigo actually had no problems whatsoever with his Shunpo or his vision other than the 'start-up time'. He got over that by constantly sending a stream of reiatsu to his legs rather than simply focusing only when he needed to move. That was if he remembered to do so, which he was prone to forget since his reiatsu control was practically nonexistent.

Sadly for the younger Kurosaki, her troubles were not that easily solved. Rika avoided picking destinations with obstacles nearby so her Shunpo would be relatively safe. She still failed to stop exactly where she wanted to be. She was always off by at least five feet. Five feet was already too far in Yoruichi's eyes.

"Not good enough, Rika!" she scolded her. "If you're going to be off, keep it within two feet of your actual target! You can't afford to keep missing your mark like that!" Rika kept on trying, but still kept missing by five feet or more. The only sign of improvement was that she stopped going beyond eight feet of her intended mark. Yoruichi switched her training methods, setting up markers at various distances for Rika to hit with her Zanpakutou after Shunpo-ing her way over to them.

It was a disaster. One thing to note was that Rika would never mistime her Shunpo to stop before her mark. It was always after. Yoruichi had drilled into her to never fear her mistakes of overshooting her mark. Stopping a short distance before reaching her mark was a coward's way of handling it. She had to correct them by confronting them, not by stopping away from them. As a result of trying to stop directly on her intended spot, she never hit the markers with her sword. She rammed into all of them, literally. She would then be sent tumbling across the wasteland at the speed of her Shunpo, giving herself numerous cuts and bruises. She refused to heal herself as she could not afford suffering from her Shikai's side-effects. If she was out of breath and had difficulty breathing, she would not be able to continue her Shunpo training.

"Can you keep going, Rika?" Yoruichi asked with no sign of concern. She had no need for people who gave up when the going got tough.

"Yes... I can... continue..." Rika wheezed as she held herself up with her hands and knees. She panted for breath as blood and sweat dripped from her.

"Then stand! If you can't even bear pain from such small cuts and bruises, why are you even here? You haven't suffered from any fatal wounds yet!" she raised her voice. "Those are the injuries you should be concerned about, not those paper cuts on your body!" She watched as Rika shakily raised herself up on unsteady feet. She nodded her head in approval. "Good. That's the way to go, girl. Now, Shunpo back here and set up the markers again!"

Rika stumbled over her own feet in mid-Shunpo. Her legs were just too exhausted to continue. She plummeted to the ground and was sent skidding on the ground harshly from her speed. She stopped a few metres away from where Ichigo and Yoruichi was standing. Ichigo went over to carry her back and told their trainer that she could not handle the strain anymore. She eyed the bruised and bleeding girl carefully before nodding.

"She deserves the rest. Put her in the hot spring. It will help her heal," she told him. He left in a Shunpo while she looked at the area Rika had run herself ragged. Many trails consisting of small splotches of blood could be seen. They were the signs of the girl's struggles. "That girl is just as stubborn as her brother. Doing fifty Shunpos continuously under less than four hours after just getting the basics down is quite a big feat," she mused with a smile before Shunpo-ing off elsewhere.

After an hour soaking in the hot spring, Rika was feeling very refreshed and ready to continue the hurdle known as Shunpo. She failed spectacularly during training and vowed to get it down before the end of the day. She estimated that evening had already came, so she had quite a short period of time to finish her Shunpo training. Ichigo was already done with it and was satisfied with himself.

Now that she was rested, she suddenly found herself being able to actually see clearer than before. It was still blurring, but not as badly as before. Was all that trouble simply because she was exhausted from practicing her Koori no Ame? She tried her Shunpo again and was very pleased with herself when she was only three feet off her mark. After another hour of training, she finally managed to stop perfectly at her desired spot. To make sure it was not a fluke, she did her Shunpo again. Another perfect stop. She nearly cried out in sheer happiness at her success.

"Well done," she heard Yoruichi congratulate her. "You finally got it perfectly down."

"Just like nii-san!" Rika added.

"No, you're actually better than him," their trainer disagreed. Seeing her surprised look, she elaborated. "Ichigo got Shunpo mostly down, not perfectly like you. He only found a temporary solution to his problem when getting into Shunpo. You're actually better and faster than your brother in Shunpo. That only applies when he's in Shikai. You have no hope of catching him in Bankai right now." Rika nodded without hesitation, accepting that fact wholeheartedly. "There's still some time left if you wish to train. What do you want to do?"

"I need to brush up my Zanjutsu. It's terrible," she admitted. "I asked my Zanpakutou for help, but she's very stubborn about it. It's like she doesn't want me to improve." She heard Yukianesa grumbling under her breath in her mind.

"You're getting it all wrong," Yoruichi told her. "You've already figured out that only a Zanpakutou can tell you about itself. Zanjutsu depends solely on your own efforts. When you are able to use your Zanpakutou's ability, you integrate it into your Zanjutsu style. You don't imitate your own Zanpakutou's Zanjutsu style. Did Ichigo ever once attempt to imitate Zangetsu's Zanjutsu style?"

Rika recalled what she had seen from Ichigo's fight with his Zanpakutou spirit and realized that the two of them fought in very different manners. Ichigo tended to go for powerful strikes while Zangetsu preferred to use more precise, accurate attacks. Ichigo had been relying less on power strikes and more on skill as the fight went on, but still nowhere similar to Zangetsu's fighting method.

"But... Who can I go to for help?" Rika asked. "Yukianesa doesn't want to help, and I think nii-san will refuse..."

"...Are you making up excuses?" Yoruichi narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Huh? No! No, I'm not!" she denied immediately. "I'll ask nii-san now!" She quickly took off to find her brother, not wanting to incur the feline woman's wrath. As she suspected, Ichigo refused to train with her since he was afraid of hurting her too badly with all the power at his disposal. Only after Yoruichi took him aside for a private talk did he agree to spar with her. He had a look of fright on his face when he changed his mind, though. They agreed not to use any special attacks for their spar.

Ichigo held back as much as he could but he was still handing his sister's ass back to her. He noticed she was faster than him but her reactions were quite bad. If the move was obvious or she had ample time to see it coming, she would deftly dodge out of the way. Otherwise she could not react, simply staring at the incoming attack like a deer stuck in headlights. She would sometimes just barely manage to bring up an awkward guard, or simply take the blow. After just a few minutes, he learnt that she just could not match his strength. He almost felt like he was Kenpachi for a moment, sending her flying or knocking her down to her knees even if she blocked.

When he backed off to give her some breathing room, her hands were trembling like leaves and her Zanpakutou was making rattling sounds because of it. He considered calling the spar off when Rika charged towards him for a change. Her attacks were light to him, and he blocked with ease. She was improving slightly, seeing her move faster and being more decisive with her actions. At the beginning, she was hesitating at every move she made. It was not out of fear but simple uncertainty. She just was not sure what to do, or what she wanted to do. He asked her how she even managed to hold off Yumichika with all that hesitation. She answered that she did not know, only doing whatever it took to stay alive. As for Kenpachi, it was only because she had Yukianesa's support that allowed her to even make a move on the behemoth. Now that she was not in any danger of dying, her hesitation made itself known.

Ichigo himself was hesitant to fight at a higher level until Yoruichi popped in and told him that if he did not help Rika break through her wall of hesitation, he was not doing his part to support his allies. He asked if Rika was ready to spar at a higher level, and she nodded. He gave a powerful swing which she blocked, but was sent flying and crashing into a hill. With all her accumulated wounds, the impact made her cough out blood from her mouth. Ichigo serious look turned to horror and almost Shunpo-ed over to Rika to check if she was okay when Yoruichi held him back while shaking her head.

Rika got back up, coughing out the last bits of blood still in her mouth. Getting back into her stance, she charged towards Ichigo who only stayed in the defensive for a few seconds before claiming the offensive once again. This time, he avoided any overly powerful strikes, but just enough for her to grit her teeth in pain when she blocked. Yoruichi watched with an intensity of a hawk, trying to see just how Rika would develop her Zanjutsu. When she finally spotted a pattern, she grinned.

"Rika sure knows how to defend herself despite the overwhelming difference in power," she chuckled to herself. She saw that Rika was actually being less tense while on the defensive. A defensive Zanjutsu style was extremely rare to come by. Most consider it a useless style because of how hard it was to be constantly defending without being overwhelmed while looking for any holes or openings the opponent might have.

Rika was blocking in a way that did not let her body absorb all of the force from Ichigo's attacks. She would block at an angle and immediately readjust her Zanpakutou to let Zangetsu slide off her blade, losing most of its attack power so her arms would not be so strained from the power difference. If that was not possible, she would block at another angle and immediately move out of the way just so she would not be overwhelmed. It bought her the few precious seconds for her to shake off the trembling in her arms and legs and prepare to block the next attack.

"There!" Yoruichi heard Rika declare in complete confidence and swung her Zanpakutou in a large arc, actually catching Ichigo just enough to leave a bloody cut from his left hip all the way to his right shoulder. He barely managed to avoid a deep wound by jumping back in the nick of time. He stared at his wound in shock for a moment before he broke into a grin.

"You actually got me... Not bad at all, Rika!" he praised his sister with all the pride of a brother. Rika had a full-blown smile of her own as she nodded in agreement. Yukianesa was very pleased with her, knowing that this particular style of fighting was extremely suitable when coupled with her abilities. Rika realized the same thing halfway through the spar. Yoruichi called off the sparring session as it was late and Ichigo needed to be at full power for tomorrow. They all got ready to knock off for the night, but Rika only feigned sleep, instead she did Jinzen and entered her inner world.

"Is there something you wish to discuss?" Yukianesa asked, greeting her in the snow plains.

"Yuki-chan, I know it sounds weird, but..." Rika hesitated, wondering if her request would be a grave insult to her Zanpakutou.

"What is it?" the spirit pressed on.

"I was wondering if it was okay if we could... develop a new technique together...?" she glanced at Yukianesa meekly.

"You wish to develop a totally new technique with me? As in, something that I originally do not have in my repertoire?" she was surprised at the suggestion. Her surprise turned into amusement as she locked eyes with her wielder. "Interesting. Tell me what you have in mind, Master." Rika explained about the technique she thought up herself while she was sparring with Ichigo. "Ah, I see. That certainly will fit perfectly into your Zanjutsu style. Very well, Master. I'll make an exception this time and focus all my efforts into making this new technique with you. Hm hm, I think this is going to be fun!"

**Author's Note: Shunpo training begins and ends in the span of the second day. Yukianesa has revealed the mysteries around her materialization. It is not because of Rika's connection with her, but because she simply wanted to come out. It is her personal ability, and it consumes her reiatsu for as long as she stays outside of the inner world. That is why she makes food out of Rika's reiryoku.**

**Because Rika is exposed to Ichigo's massive reiatsu every single day, she is extremely sensitive to his reiatsu and thus is able to tell something is off about his Bankai. She does not want to tell him about it because she feels it would injure his pride.**

**Rika has finally been able to find her style of fighting. According to Yoruichi, it is a Zanjutsu style focused on being on the defensive and then striking once an opening is found. Both Rika and Yukianesa agree that it is the best style of fighting for them. Rika has an idea and wishes to create a new technique from scratch with Yukianesa, who has agreed to give her full cooperation.**

**It is unheard of for a Shinigami to create a new technique with their Zanpakutou, and that is because it is my idea. It is not canon material. Original kidou creation is canon, not Zanpakutou technique creation.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	23. Battle At Soukyoku Hill

The third day had arrived, and it was time. The plan was to have Ichigo storm the Soukyoku Hill and rescue Rukia while Rika stayed hidden in the nearby forest as backup. Yoruichi had informed them that their other allies were fine and under the protection of Zaraki Kenpachi. Their eyes bugged out when they heard that. Rika was the first to recover, stating that it was possibly one of the best things to have him on their side. Since their training area was directly beneath the Soukyoku Hill, they did not take long to arrive at their ultimate destination.

Rika watched quietly as Ichigo rescued Rukia from the Soukyoku and threw her towards Renji who had just arrived looking quite battered. He looked as though he was barely healed after surviving a huge battle. Renji immediately took off with Rukia when one of the captains ordered the lieutenants present to pursue. Ichigo stopped them from doing so by dispatching all three lieutenants with almost no effort and without any need for his Zanpakutou. He definitely had gotten stronger from his training. Byakuya tried to attack him from behind but Ichigo blocked without any difficulty, citing that he already told Byakuya that he could see him.

They traded many attacks but neither scored a hit. Ichigo commented on how it looked like Byakuya was examining him and trying to gauge his powers. He thought the noble wanted to kill him, but so far had not given a single scratch to him. Ichigo then demanded that he release his Bankai. Byakuya refused, and instead released his Shikai.

**"Scatter, Senbonzakura," **he uttered the command phrase. The blade vanished into what looked like sakura petals that fluttered off into the wind. Ichigo widened his eyes in slight surprise but quickly regained his composure and raised Zangetsu above his head. With a mighty swing, he smashed the tip onto the ground, releasing the Getsuga Tenshou. Only after that display did Byakuya see it fit to release his Bankai.

"Bankai," he uttered with restrained fury as he dropped his Zanpakutou while holding it upside-down. Just before it made contact with the ground, it vanished as though it was slowing being dipped into invisible water. Once it was all gone, many blades that were nearly twice as tall as Byakuya appeared by his sides like a line of soldiers. **"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi,"** he revealed the name of his Bankai. All the blades dissolved into sakura petals and gathered around him, ready to strike at his command.

Ichigo tried his hand at combating Byakuya's Bankai, and was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of the deadly sakura petals. He was slammed into the ground hard, creating a crater with his body riddled by innumerable cuts. Fortunately, he was able to endure the pain and got back to his feet. He bit back a curse directed at himself, and lamented his foolishness for thinking he could take on a Bankai with only Shikai. Naturally, Byakuya caught his implication and called him out on it, thinking it was a bluff. It was not, and Ichigo was going to prove it.

He spent quite a while gathering his reiatsu for the second release while Byakuya could only stare on in stunned shock, not willing to believe a ryoka of all people could achieve Bankai. When Ichigo revealed Tensa Zangetsu, Byakuya felt deeply insulted. How could such a small and ordinary-looking Zanpakutou be a Bankai? Before he could punish Ichigo for stomping on his pride, he had a sword pointed to his throat and he could not react to it.

"This pride you're talking about... Does it involve killing Rukia?" Ichigo asked coldly before leaping backwards to his original position. "Sounds to me like it does. Then it's just as you said. I'll stomp on that. And for that reason, I obtained this power!" he pointed his Zanpakutou at Byakuya in a show of defiance.

_'Please make this quick, nii-san!' _Rika clutched her hands together as she prayed for her brother's safety. '_You don't have much time! You have a time limit you aren't aware of!'_ His reiatsu that was compressed into the tiny form of Tensa Zangetsu and himself was pressuring his body and he somehow could not feel it. She watched as Ichigo ran circles around Byakuya, showing off his new speed and making afterimages with his Shunpo. '_Nii-san, don't waste time like that! Please hurry and end this!' _When he finally attacked, Byakuya had dodged the stab that would likely have ended the fight, instead catching the blade with his bare hand.

Deciding to show no more mercy, Byakuya activated another form of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. The surrounding area was suddenly encased in a black dome with many swords revolving around its perimeter in four rows. Byakuya told Ichigo not to worry as not all of the swords would attack him at the same time. It was a form of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi that had abandoned all forms of defense for the sake of killing the enemy. A sword descended down to his side and he grasped it, turning it into a copy of his sealed Zanpakutou. From that action, Rika figured out that what he had described was likely a partial lie. If he was to be believed, then all these swords would not attack at the same time, but she suspected that any of them could launch a sudden attack at his command.

"Hurry, nii-san! Please hurry!" Rika urged softly, unable to hold her desperate voice back as they proceeded to clash swords again.

Just as Rika had suspected, the strain was visibly slowing Ichigo down and Byakuya was beginning to get in more hits than he could as time passed. He mentioned that he was slowing down, and Ichigo shot back with a snide remark, saying that Byakuya's sword looked like it was standing still. As a response, Byakuya called down another sword and impaled it through his foot before shooting a lightning bolt through his shoulder. It was a cheap shot, but it worked. He pulled out the sword impaling the foot and banished it as Ichigo stumbled back.

When she saw Ichigo freeze in his spot with a stunned look on his face, her worst fears were realized. He had reached his time limit! The strain was just too much for his body to handle and he could not move! Disregarding her brother's request of letting him fight one on one with Byakuya, she quickly took off with her Shunpo to get to his side.

_'Make it! Make it! MAKE IT!' _she yelled in her mind as she pushed herself as fast as she could go. The sword that was coming down for a finishing strike was agonizingly slow in her eyes as she sprinted to save her brother. **"Play, Yukianesa!" **she released in mid-Shunpo. The release made her feel just a little bit faster, and managed to arrive just in the nick of time to block Byakuya's death strike.

**"Tch," **a distorted voice snorted from behind her. She turned her glance upwards just a little and saw her brother stopping Byakuya's sword as well, except he stopped it by grabbing it with his free hand with no damage done to it whatsoever. Byakuya was just as stunned that his attack was stopped like that, along with the appearance of what seemed to be another ryoka. **"I told you, didn't I?" **the voice chided mockingly.

"I'm sorry for barging in like this, nii-san. But your life is more important to me!" Rika apologized to her brother, not realizing that something was terribly off with him.

**"Nah, don't worry about it, Rika-chan. I wasn't talking to you. I'm talking to Ichigo here," **the voice assured her. **"Didn't I tell you that if you die, it'll cause trouble for me too?"**

Just like Ichigo did before her, she noted the use of the honorific as well.

"Chan?" she repeated, looking back to face her brother. Her confusion turned to mute shock when she saw the all-too-familiar Hollow mask forming on the left side of his face. It was only then she noted the distorted voice of her brother and the tainted feel of Hollow reiatsu that had her brother's signature in it.

"Impossible..." Byakuya muttered. "What are you?" he demanded.

**"What am I? Hah!" **'Ichigo' scoffed. **"Get back, Rika-chan. Let 'big brother' handle this!" **he shoved her aside none too gently with the flat side of Tensa Zangetsu. Rika lost her balance for a moment before catching herself and hurriedly moved to a safe distance away and behind her 'brother'. **"As for your answer, I don't... have a name!" **As he declared that, he raised his head to reveal his forming mask and delivered a deep slash to the very off-guard Byakuya. He cackled like a madman as Byakuya was thrown back from the force of the blow. **"As I thought, you suck, Ichigo! You get wiped out by your Bankai's reiatsu and every bone in your body is creaking! What a pathetic bastard! I'll show you the right way to use a Bankai!"**

'Ichigo' cocked his arm back, and Byakuya summoned another sword down to his hand in preparation. 'Ichigo' threw his arm forward in an arcing motion. A black wave with a crimson-red outline shot out of Tensa Zangetsu's blade and flew towards Byakuya.

_'A black **Getsuga?' **_both Byakuya and Rika shared the same thoughts. He Shunpo-ed out of the way, only to sense 'Ichigo' coming down from above and throwing another black Getsuga. He got out of the way using Shunpo and was pursued by his opponent who fired two Getsugas in succession. He tried Shunpo-ing again, but was stopped when a hand gripped his shoulder from behind and forced him to hold still. He turned back in surprise to see 'Ichigo' grinning and cackling maniacally with his partial mask. He had no choice but to take the full force of the two Getsugas heading his way.

A split-second before Byakuya got hit, 'Ichigo' Shunpo-ed away, grabbing Rika in the process. She was clearly taken by surprise at his sheer speed and was brought to just outside the blast range when the two Getsugas exploded, engulfing majority of Soukyoku Hill in a black light trimmed with crimson-red.

**"Can't have you getting caught in that, can we? After all, you have my mark. My scent," **he stated, his shit-eating grin still plastered on his face. It unnerved Rika seeing his face like that. It was like he was going berserk under the influence of blood lust and enjoying it.

"Um... You're the Hollow inside nii-san, right?" she asked her 'brother' timidly, the forming Hollow mask a dead giveaway. She definitely did not want to get on his bad side anytime soon. From what she had witnessed, he was a lot more proficient in Bankai than Ichigo was.

**"Heh! Who knows! Maybe you're right!" **he did not deny her assumption but did not confirm it either. **"Or maybe I'm just your 'other brother'!"**

"Other brother?" she repeated. Did the Hollow look exactly like Ichigo? "So, you're nii-san's other half?" His grin somehow got wider than it already was.

**"Perhaps," **he let out a slightly less insane chuckle. Seeing her let out a huge smile made his grin even bigger. If she believed he was her 'other brother', he was not going to correct her. Having her on his side only made things better for him. Besides, she was keeping something that originally belonged to him with her. That was enough for him to help her out.

"Onii-san, thank you for saving nii-san!" she thanked him gratefully, even though it sounded extremely weird to her. It was like thanking someone for saving themselves, which it technically was. "I'll refer to you as onii-san, so as not to confuse you with nii-san." Even though she knew he was a Hollow, she did not find him so repulsive despite the disturbing feel of his reiatsu. Instead, she still felt kinship with him and decided to treat him like another brother. She found his golden eyes and black sclera rather unique and somewhat cool.

**"Thanks for that," **he replied. **"The other me is just pathetic. It's a pain in the ass, but it'll cause a lot of trouble for me if he ends up dead," **he played along with her mistaken belief. **"You get the picture?" **Rika responded with a nod, knowing that if her brother died, the Hollow died with him.

"The texture of this reiatsu..." they heard Byakuya mutter. "That mask... Are you a Hollow?" he demanded.

**"Who knows," **Hollow Ichigo gave him the same reply he gave Rika. **"You don't need to know that. After all, you're going to-"**

_"Disappear,"_ Ichigo's voice sounded inside him. Without any warning, his hand shot up to grab the mask in a position that allowed him to pull it off, making Byakuya pause and stare.

**"Damn it! Let go!" **Hollow Ichigo demanded to thin air, and Rika looked at him with worry.

"Onii-san? Are you okay?" she asked worriedly but he seemed to be in some sort of struggle with himself to even hear her. He was trying to pull off the incomplete mask but at the same time looking like he was trying to stop himself from doing so. When she detected Ichigo's reiatsu rapidly increasing, a light blue aura surrounded his body. She then realized what was going on.

**"You're the one in the way! If you let me keep on fighting, don't you get that you can win?" **Hollow Ichigo tried to retain control of the body. Rika was torn between choosing which brother to help. On one hand, Ichigo had all rights to his body. On the other hand, Hollow Ichigo had the higher chance of securing a victory. In the end, she did nothing. Ichigo eventually won over control of the body and tore off the mask from his face.

"Sorry about that. Just some interference there," he mock-apologized to the still staring Byakuya.

"Interference...?" Rika repeated, appalled that he considered having his life saved an interference. "Nii-san!" she angrily stalked up to him.

"W-What?" he was surprised to see her by his side and looking very pissed off.

"How can you even say that? You were just about to get killed! And when the other you came to save you, you said he interfered?" she shouted at him. Ichigo only looked at her seriously before gently pushing her aside.

"This is my fight. He had no right to butt in. I suppose I can be grateful that you stopped Byakuya from killing me, but please stay out of this," he told her.

"Why is your stupid pride so important? Is it so important that you'd rather lose your life over it?" she snapped, frustrated with her brother's attitude.

"Rika...?" he stared at her in surprise. It took a lot to make her lose her temper and snap like that. Was it something he said?

"Pride is nothing more than a feeling! Even if your pride is lost, you can always regain it! You can't do that with your life! Don't you get that?"

"I do, but-"

"No, you don't!" she snapped, silencing her brother. "You don't get anything!"

"Rika, you don't have to worry. I'm not going to die here," he told her, making her stare at him incredulously. "Please believe in me, Rika. It kinda hurts when you don't."

"I can't help it... Of course I believe in you, nii-san. But every time you listen to your pride, something bad always happens to you... I don't want to lose you..."

"Don't worry about it. I can't afford to lose here anyway," he returned his attention to Byakuya.

"I'll help out!" she offered but was turned down by Ichigo. "But why? Is this because of your pride again?"

"You can't defeat him, Rika. Even if he is in that state," he shook his head. "I'm sure you realize that if I can't use Shikai to take his Bankai, you don't stand a chance. Stand down already."

"...Okay, nii-san..." she resealed her Zanpakutou and sheathed it before walking away to a safe distance. Ichigo did not miss the tears of frustration building up at the corner of her eyes.

"Sorry, Rika. I know you want to help me. But this time, I'm afraid I have to say no," he said in an apologetic tone. "Now that my sister's safely out of the way..." he turned to Byakuya. "Let's end this."

"Very well," Byakuya obliged. "I doubt either of us has the strength left to swing our swords much more. The next attack will end the act." Before they could get to it, Ichigo asked why he would not save Rukia. Byakuya's reply was that he would answer if he was defeated. He focused all his Bankai's power into the sword in his hand and a pillar of pure white reiatsu shot up into the sky from him. That pillar formed two pure white wings on his back with a halo-like circle in between the wings.

"That's pretty awesome," Ichigo praised. "It's too bad I don't have any bad-ass techniques like that. Zangetsu only taught me the Getsuga Tenshou. Just that one thing. The only thing I can do now is..." he put his free hand on his Zanpakutou's hilt as well. "...to put all of my reiatsu into one single attack." Black reiatsu swirled around him for a moment before blasting out all around him.

Despite her extremely bad mood, Rika instantly noted that the Getsuga Tenshou Ichigo was preparing was not the same as the one Hollow Ichigo did. It was still black in color, but lacked the crimson-red layer it had when the other him was in control. She wondered what the significance of the layer was. Was his Bankai's Getsuga Tenshou incomplete?

"Here I come, Kuchiki Byakuya!" he roared as he ran forward. Byakuya did the same, meeting his charge head-on. When their swords collided, Soukyoku Hill lit up with black and white reiatsu, blinding the nearby Rika. When the light died down, she could clearly see the winner. Byakuya's Zanpakutou was no longer in his hands, while Ichigo was using Tensa Zangetsu as a crutch to help him stand. Without prompting, Byakuya explained why he never tried to save Rukia from her execution. After hearing what he had to say, Ichigo admitted that he still did not understand. But if he was in his position, he would have fought the law to save her. Byakuya's face showed surprise for a moment before he walked away, admitting defeat and promising to no longer pursue Rukia. He then vanished in a Shunpo to leave the two siblings.

Ichigo let go of his Zanpakutou to stand on his own and screamed into the sky. He suddenly paused, his vision starting to swim and felt all strength leaving his body. Rika Shunpo-ed to his side and grabbed him, stopping his backwards fall. She slowly let him down and laid his head gently on her lap.

"You won, nii-san," she told him, smiling proudly at him.

"Yeah..." he agreed tiredly. He caught sight of his entire group running towards them. "Inoue! Chad! Ishida! Ganju!" he called out to them. "You're all okay. I'm glad."

"We're not 'okay', but..." Ishida adjusted his glasses a little. "Compared to how beat up you are, it's like we don't have a scratch on us."

"How about you, Inoue? You hurt?" he asked her.

"Huh? Me?" she pointed to herself clumsily. "Not me! Not at all!" she denied any injury. "I haven't been of any use at all, but Ishida-kun protected me, and Zaraki-san gave me a piggy-back ride, so I was..." she stopped her overly cheerful ranting and slowed down. "...totally... out of danger... but... but..." She looked at Ichigo with tears brimming in her eyes with a small blush on her cheeks. "I was just worried about you the whole time and... I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun, that I couldn't protect you..."

"Please don't say that, Inoue-senpai," Rika told her. "I'm sure you have done something to be of help to Ishida-senpai."

"That's right, Inoue-san," Ishida quickly followed up. "You protected me when we encountered that captain, didn't you? Thank you for that time."

"And one more thing," Rika added. "That last sentence you said. Please take it back."

"Eh?" Inoue was clearly stumped, just like the others.

"Nii-san is grateful for your concern, but please don't talk like I'm not here. I came not only because Urahara-san told me to, I came to make sure nii-san didn't do anything overly reckless. I have a responsibility to keep him from running off and getting himself killed. I'm here to watch his back and lend him my support even if I can't do much myself. So please don't say that you can't protect him, because I am here to do so. Please don't take my purpose away from me."

An uncomfortable silence fell on the group as Rika locked eyes with Inoue. It was clear to the group that the younger Kurosaki did not particularly like the normally klutzy girl. Ichigo scolded her for saying such hurtful things. She apologized for that, but stated that it felt like she was not being acknowledged by her. Like she had said earlier, her purpose was to support and keep Ichigo in line to make sure he did not get in over his head. That was her purpose here. If it was taken away, there would be meaning for her to be here.

"Sorry..." Inoue hung her head slightly in regret. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Rika-chan."

"I'm not saying that you can't worry about nii-san, Inoue-senpai," Rika replied. "But I'm here by his side. Please do not forget that." The misunderstanding now settled, Ganju slung Ichigo's arm over his shoulder and helped him walk. They slowly made their way down the hill when halfway down, they were alerted by something invisible making contact with them. Someone was giving them a message by means of kidou, and it was not a good one.

**Author's Note: This scene is canon all the way until Hollow Ichigo takes over, where Rika tries to intervene when Ichigo freezes up. Hollow Ichigo and Rika talk face to face for the first time and he has fooled her into thinking he's the 'other brother'. In other words, Ichigo's split personality. She knows he's a Hollow but because of his misleading words, believes he doesn't really mean any harm and considers him her brother as well, referring to him as 'Onii-san'. It's to avoid confusing him with 'Nii-san', the original Ichigo.**

**Hollow Ichigo saves Rika from his Getsuga Tenshou's explosion only because she has something that belongs to him. It's the mask she picked up when she was in the sewers. Because of that, he claims to have 'marked' her with his 'scent' and decides keeping her safe is a small reward for keeping the mask. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? What does Hollow Ichigo have in mind concerning Rika?**

**Also, I give a long overdue thanks to those who have placed this story in their Favorites List and to those who leave behind reviews. I felt that saying 'Please leave reviews!' was almost like demanding for them. It still makes me really happy to see reviews. So thank you very much!**

**I may have underplayed Rika's role to a huge extent in this arc, but that is only because I believe that she is still not experienced enough. But not to worry, she will definitely have a major battle of her own some time in the future. I really don't like overpowered OCs that are just somehow a lot stronger than canon characters, sometimes even without reason. So I try to keep Rika's character as believable as possible in terms of power levels. If anyone has any questions concerning Rika, don't be shy and please leave a PM so I can answer you.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	24. Defeated, But Still Standing Tall

It was a message stating that Aizen, the 5th Division Captain, Gin, the 3rd Division Captain, and Tousen, the 9th Division Captain, were traitors and they were headed to the Soukyoku Hill. They had killed the Central 46 and were pretending to be them. They were also the ones behind the reduction of Rukia's grace period and the decision to execute her using the Soukyoku. Rika almost felt terrible about herself. She was definitely not expecting herself to have a near accurate guess when she mentioned how she thought Rukia's execution was suspicious. Ichigo questioned if it was true and Ganju agreed with him, saying that it could be an enemy trap. Ishida brushed their doubts aside, stating that it was true.

"Don't you feel the reiatsu that's appeared up there?" he looked pointedly at Ichigo. He focused on sensing if he recognized anyone up there, and he did. He sensed Rukia and Renji along with three other reiatsu sources, likely to be the three traitorous captains. He cursed and reactivated his Bankai, taking off towards the top in his breakneck Shunpo speed that was enhanced by his Bankai.

"I'll follow nii-san!" Rika told the group before chasing after her brother with her own Shunpo. She released Yukianesa along the way, knowing she had to be at her best to even keep up with a captain. She could not afford to be careless. When she arrived at the top, Renji and Ichigo were preparing to face off with one of the captains, the 5th Division Captain, the other two standing back and watching silently.

Renji took a stance and slammed his broken released Zabimaru into the ground. The many pieces of his Zanpakutou that were laying about the area levitated into the air and rushed towards Aizen. A dust cloud was kicked up around him and Ichigo rushed in, gathering whatever remains of his reiatsu for his attack. His Zanpakutou was stopped with only a finger. Sensing imminent danger, Rika Shunpo-ed in to try and rescue her brother, but he was slashed before she could reach him. The three captains detected her moving in but did nothing to stop her even when she pulled her brother away.

"Hm? I meant to sever you from the waist down but... Too shallow, I guess," Aizen spoke calmly, not perturbed by his mistake as his eyes easily followed Rika's Shunpo. She stopped beside Renji who stared at the captain with shock.

"Nii-san!" Rika called for her brother who was still reeling from the attack. She looked towards the captain who gave him the grievous wound only for him to disappear right in front of her eyes. "He dis-" Before she could even finish her second word, she felt her spine nearly give way to what felt a slash. It was lightning quick, and she did not even feel it until blood spurted out from the large gash on her back. She plummeted right next to Ichigo who was still conscious and looked at her with wide eyes.

"Rika! Hey, Rika! Answer me!" he managed to shout to her, but she had fallen unconscious with her eyes half-open. Her Zanpakutou resealed by itself as it fell from her grasp as he looked at her blank, lifeless eyes. "Hey! Don't die on me here! Rika!" he struggled to crawl towards her despite their mixed blood pooling around them, ignoring Renji who was downed by the captain as well. His sister took priority.

"Hm? You're still conscious?" Aizen looked at Ichigo while holding Rukia up with one hand. "Your life force being much stronger than your skill is working against you. Give up already," he said while sheathing his Zanpakutou. "You kids have been more than useful. Your role is finished."

"Role?" that caught Ichigo's attention. Aizen started to explain how he knew they would intrude from West Rukongai and constantly kept watch over that area. He manipulated the division's position so that Gin could intercept them if anything happened. When the protective wall dividing Seireitei from Rukongai fell, the captains were scattered all over the place. That made it extremely easy for Aizen to move around. The murder of a captain did not raise much suspicion as well. Ichigo was stunned by all that information. "Wait... How did you know we'd come from West Rukongai?" he demanded even in his downed state.

"What a strange thing to ask," he replied. "Isn't it obvious? West Rukongai is Urahara Kisuke's power base. The only place you can enter using the Senkaimon he creates... is West Rukongai." Hearing that made Ichigo's eyes widen in realization. "What's with that look?" he asked. "You're his subordinates, aren't you? Didn't you come on Urahara Kisuke's orders to retrieve Kuchiki Rukia?"

"What the..."

"I see. It looks like you haven't been told anything. Well, that's fine. This is the end, so I'll explain it to you. Do you know that Shinigamis have four basic combat methods? Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohou, and Kidou. Those are the four." He started walking towards Ichigo while dragging Rukia along with her collar. "But there exists a maximum power limit for each of them. If you master every ability, you hit a wall and your growth stops there. That is the limit of a Shinigami. In that case, is there no way to break through that and improve all abilities past the limit? There is one way. Just one. It is the hollowfication of a Shinigami."

Ichigo was cruelly forced to remember the time when he was possessed by that other him. He realized that other him was a Hollow during that time. Aizen continued to explain about how him and many others tried to find a way to break through the line separating the two beings and achieve new heights of power, but all have failed. All except Urahara Kisuke who created a way. It was an object that could erase the line between Shinigami and Hollow in an instant. It was called the Hogyoku. Soon after its creation, Urahara must have felt it too dangerous and attempted to destroy it, but failed to destroy his own creation. He found an alternative by placing a protective barrier around the Hogyoku and hiding it by burying it deep within a soul.

"You understand now, don't you? The hiding place he chose... was you, Kuchiki Rukia."

"What... did you say?" Ichigo could not believe his ears.

"But when I found that out, it was after you had already gone missing in the Living World. I got a hunch that it was the work of Urahara Kisuke. In the past, he had created a spiritual substance that contained no spirit particles. Because he used that to create a gigai that was impossible to track, he was exiled from Soul Society. A Shinigami in a gigai going missing is impossible in any other case. And there is another reason he was exiled. It's because that gigai decomposes the reiryoku of the Shinigami inside. Due to that, the Shinigami inside never recovers their reiryoku. Their connection to the gigai dulls more and more. Eventually, the soul loses reiryoku altogether and they degrade from being a Shinigami to an ordinary human soul. Do you understand? He didn't lend you his assistance... He was trying to completely conceal the location of the Hogyoku by turning you into a human."

Rukia remembered Urahara approaching her when she had lost all of her Shinigami powers after having them transferred to Ichigo. He offered to lend her a gigai, and that gigai happened to be the one that decomposed reiryoku. Before Aizen could continue further, he was interrupted by the appearance of Komamura, the 7th Division Captain. He tried killing Aizen but was utterly defeated with very little effort on Aizen's part even though it was captain against captain. Before he could do much else, all the other available captains along with Jidanbo, Kuukaku and Yoruichi appeared to apprehend the trio. Unfortunately, they were unable to detain them when Menos Grande ripped a hole in the sky and protected the traitors with a beam of light known as Negacion. The beam of light isolated the target from the dimension they were in, making them impossible to harm. When it surrounded them, it was already over.

The wounded remained on Soukyoku Hill where the 4th Division tended to them. Inoue quickly got to Ichigo's side to heal him but he refused, telling her to heal Rika first.

"But Kurosaki-kun! You are so much more hurt than her!" she protested. The only reason she went to Ichigo first was simply because he was a lot more bloodied than his sister with his earlier wounds not having been healed, not because she disliked her from the earlier misunderstanding.

"I can take this! Rika's not as strong as me! Her injury might not have kept me down, but it might be fatal for her! Help me out here, Inoue!" he pleaded. He would not stand to watch his sister die.

"Y-Yes!" she casted the healing shield over Rika. It would take a while but she made a full recovery, complete without a scar. She did the same thing with Ichigo, returning him to full health. The next morning, Seireitei was mostly back to normal with their own antics and duties. Ichigo went over to the 11th Division while Ishida, Sado and Inoue stayed in the barracks of the 6th Division. Rika on the other hand, decided to explore Seireitei with Yukianesa physically by her side. Rika offered to hold hands only for Yukianesa to erupt with fury, accusing her of treating her like a little girl when she was a Zanpakutou. It was her typical response when treated like a child and Rika had heard it plenty of times already, but it never got old.

"Really?" Rika only smiled at her, leaving her hand open for the spirit to take if she wanted to. Yukianesa stared at the offered hand before turning her eyes straight to her wielder. A blush eventually lit up on her face and she looked away feeling quite abashed as she placed a hand into her wielder's own. Together they explored as much of Seireitei as they could but avoided the 1st Division like the plague. They did not want to mess with the Captain-Commander's division. After exploring around more, they added the 12th Division to that list.

Yukianesa eventually forgot about the embarrassment of holding hands and went to explore the first district of a randomly chosen section of Rukongai, pulling Rika along as her excitement built up. Rika happily complied with the now eager spirit as she pointed to stalls that attracted her interest. Yukianesa was really behaving like a little girl would and Rika would not tell her that. She would instantly get moody and probably start complaining in a childish manner again. Their last stop in Rukongai was the residence of Shiba Kuukaku. To her surprise, Ichigo, Inoue and Rukia were there. For some reason, Ichigo and Rukia had bleeding noses.

"Yo, Rika!" Kuukaku called her over with a huge grin. "I heard that you're heading home tomorrow. Eat with us before you go." Before Rika could even breathe her reply, she saw Ichigo shake his head violently and mouthing to her to just accept the invitation.

"Then, sorry for the intrusion," Rika bowed in grace, politely accepting the invitation for dinner.

"That's a good girl!" Kuukaku slung her arm around her neck in a friendly gesture. "Finally someone who knows some sense!" Rika could only stare at her in confusion while Ichigo heaved a sigh of relief. He would rather not have his sister get punched in the face.

It was a huge ruckus in the dinner hall but everyone was having fun. Ganju and Ichigo were fighting with each other again in a less violent manner, trying to force feed each other with large pieces of food. Ganju's gang were serving food for them and their other guests while Kuukaku just watched in amusement. It was not until one of them called out to Rika, asking her to go a little wild since it was a party and not a formal dinner. She did not know what to do, since the only parties she had been to were birthday parties that were held at home with no guests invited. Kuukaku supported the idea, asking her to entertain them.

"How about... Uh... Um..." Rika fidgeted under their gazes. "A story!" she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. They were disappointed, to say the least. Before they could protest, Kuukaku silenced them by telling, actually more like ordering, her to tell that story.

"Would you like a hand, Master?" Yukianesa's voice sounded next to her after her bells jingled, alerting Rika to her presence.

"AH! You little brat!" Ichigo broke away from Ganju and pointed an accusing finger at her. Yukianesa stilled her anger at being referred to as a little brat.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Idiot," she retorted with a polite greeting that was filled to the brim with sarcasm.

"What was that, you bastard?" he growled.

"I have nothing to do with you today. I'm here to lend a hand to my master," she shot the argument down and conjured up a book made of ice along with several small speakers around her. "Read that story. I think everyone will get a laugh out of it," she told her as she handed over the ice book. Words were actually visible enough for her to read clearly, and it was not that cold to the touch. "These speakers will play voices according to the lines in that book." Yukianesa sure looked excited.

"Okay, I'll start," Rika cleared her throat. "Once upon a time, there was a legendary heroine known as Anesa... Yuki?" she looked at her Zanpakutou in puzzlement at the reversed name.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I shall be the main protagonist in this story," she introduced herself with a graceful curtsy, bowing her head to all present. "Please refrain from interrupting the reader by making protests, talking among yourselves or asking questions. However, laughter is permitted."

"She was a heroine who was beloved by all who knew her, especially by a special someone dear to her. Even her enemies grew to respect her for her heroic deeds. However, she was constantly at odds with a very heinous villain. His name was..." Rika paused at the name of the villain. "Yukianesa, that's just rude!" she scolded her Zanpakutou.

"It's fine, isn't it? After all, it's just in the name of fun. Lighten up, Master," Yukianesa discreetly told her to continue reading.

"His name was... Kurosaki Ichigo," Rika read with a heavy sigh. Naturally, Ichigo was not happy about being made the antagonist. He was about to stand up and strangle the despicable girl in front of him but was stopped by Ganju who had an incredibly huge smirk on his face. Along with everybody else in the room other than Rika who gave him an apologetic gaze. Inoue was getting hyped by the story and did not register that Ichigo was actually being made fun of by the spirit.

"Please continue, Master. You don't have to read the dialogs. I'll do it for you," she instructed. Rika nodded and continued reading.

"Through an unsaid agreement, Anesa Yuki and Kurosaki Ichigo were to face off for a final showdown. Being the powerful being that he is, he allowed Anesa Yuki to bring along any number of allies she wanted while he would stand alone. However, all feared the wrath of the one nicknamed 'Shinigami'."

"Lame..." Ichigo grumbled under his breath.

"In the end, only two answered to Anesa Yuki's call. Before they could officially start the showdown, one of her allies was taken out by Kurosaki Ichigo." A battle cry came from one of the speakers. Everyone recognized the voice that came out of it as belonging to Ichigo.

_"Buzz off, Ganju!" _The sound effect of someone getting punched could be heard.

_"AARRGGHHH!" _another speaker sounded, this time with Ganju's voice. This time, Ichigo had a cruel smirk on his face as Ganju was now the target of humiliation. Ganju was not pleased. His sister on the other hand, was very pleased.

_"Ganju-san! Are you alright?" _Rika's voice resounded from yet another speaker.

_"Looking pretty pathetic there, Ganju. That was a just a love tap from me, you know," _Ichigo's voice spoke arrogantly. The real Ichigo was beginning to think better of the Zanpakutou spirit he despised since a few days ago.

_"A sneak attack is so cowardly! Kurosaki Ichigo!" _Rika's voice reprimanded him.

_"Eh...? You're a dumbass for getting hit by it, Mr. Fireworks," _Ichigo's voice taunted the fallen warrior.

_"If only... If only Anesa Yuki was here in a time like this...!" _Rika's voice sounded like she was about to cry in despair.

"Just before the showdown, Anesa Yuki was being held back by an ambush from Kurosaki Ichigo, leaving her two allies to face the Shinigami alone," it was a small line in between the dialogs.

_"Now, it's about time I wrap this up..." _Ichigo's voice sounded very convincingly evil right then.

"That's as far as you go! Kurosaki Ichigo!" Yukianesa shouted out.

_'Oh, you're playing your own part...'_ Rika said in her thoughts, a sweatdrop forming at the back of her head. Everyone else also had one. The sound of a gentle breeze of wind was heard as sound effects.

_"Anesa Yuki!" _both Ganju and Rika's voices cried out.

"I'm sorry I'm late, everyone!" Yukianesa was really into her role as a character in her story.

_"No, it's okay! We believed that you would come for us!" _Rika's voice said in great relief.

_"Anesa Yuki... You bitch, how did you get out from that trap?" _Ichigo's voice snarled.

_"Ah! Anesa Yuki, there's blood coming from your arm!" _Rika's voice cried out in horror.

"Hm? Oh, something like this is of no problem to me," Yukianesa assured her imaginary comrade. "I had to fight my way out through his devious traps and I barely managed to escape." A pained gasp came from Ganju's voice. "What's wrong, Ganju?" the concerned emotion in her voice was downright perfect. Rika could not help but be impressed with her Zanpakutou's acting skills.

_"Urgh... Poison..." _Ganju's voice managed to wheeze out. _"It looks like there was poison in that sneak attack from Kurosaki Ichigo..."_

_"Huh? Poison?" _Ichigo's voice sounded very surprised. _"I, ah, wh- Eh?" _He was very surprised.

"You..." Yukianesa restrained from screaming in anger. "You can't win without using underhanded things like poison, can you?"

_"Hey, hey, wait! I just told you I don't have poison or anything!" _Ichigo's voice denied. Here, the crowd laughed at his desperate denial, even Ganju who had gracefully accepted his role as the beaten man. Ichigo's impression of Yukianesa dropped back down to the negative.

_"It must have been when you hit him! You used the poison then!" _Rika's voice accused him, making up her own conclusion.

_"...Aren't you guys just saying random stuff like "If you touch me you'll be poisoned"?" _Ichigo's voice deadpanned. Ganju's voice let out a tortured scream of pain.

"Hang in there, Ganju! I'll save you soon!" Yukianesa's voice was full of concern. She turned to face Ichigo who glared spitefully at her. "You horrible fiend, Kurosaki Ichigo! In the name of love and courage, justice and LOVE..." she emphasized the second love.

"Why the hell is love in there twice?" both the real Ichigo and his recorded voice yelled the exact same line, making everyone burst into laughter, even Inoue and Rika. They had the grace to try and hide their laughter, though. Ichigo sat back down from his impulsive reaction, his face burning with humiliation.

"I will punish you!" Yukianesa declared her conviction even if her lips were trembling violently from holding in her laughter.

_"Can it! I'll do you in first! I'll kill all of you!" _Ichigo's voice snapped. _**"Getsuga Tenshou!" **_The sound effect of the land splitting apart could be heard.

"What power! The earth... The earth is splitting apart!" Yukianesa screamed out in worry. Soon, she, along with Ganju and Rika's voices, screamed.

"At the climax of the fearsome Getsuga Tenshou, fissures appeared all over the battlefield, threatening to swallow everyone whole into the deep abyss," Rika read out the small dialog break.

"Oh no! The two of them fell into the fissure!" Yukianesa cried out. "Are you alright?"

_"I'm fine... I managed to grab hold of a ledge..." _Rika's voice told her tiredly, straining from the effort of holding herself up.

"I'll pull you up now! Give me your hand!" Yukianesa held her hand out in mid-air.

"At that moment, Ganju came rolling by from a nearby area, falling right next to Rika and holding onto the same ledge despite being poisoned," Rika read out the single liner.

_"Looks like you're having trouble there, Anesa Yuki!" _Ichigo's voice let out an evil laugh. _"There are two people about to fall from this cliff, and they clearly oversize you. Can you lift them up without them pulling you down? If you don't do something quick, they're all going to die!" _Ichigo's voice let out another evil laugh. _"Now what will you do, beloved heroine?"_

"So you say, even though you're hanging from a ledge yourself," Yukianesa deadpanned.

"As a result of using too much power, even Kurosaki Ichigo could not avoid falling off and hanging onto a ledge," Rika read the next one-liner.

_"Heh... I kind of messed up..." _Ichigo's voice tried to retain some dignity. _"Yeah, that's right, Anesa Yuki! It's just as you said! I too slipped and am somehow barely hanging on to this ledge! Ha! Just look at me..." _He sounded resigned. _"The end of the great villain, known as the Shinigami..." _He laughed out loud in what seemed to be his final moments.

"Get it together!" Yukianesa snapped, followed by the sound effect of a shoe hitting someone's face.

_"OW!" _he yelped.

"Why are you giving up? Kurosaki Ichigo!" she yelled at the seething Ichigo who looked just about ready to explode.

_"You really hit me! Someone hanging on for dear life!" _he exclaimed.

"I'll save everyone, even you! I'll show you that I can!" Yukianesa declared, her voice full of resolve. "Believe... Believe in this heroine called Anesa Yuki!"

"And so, Anesa Yuki miraculously saved everyone from falling into the abyss of the earth. Kurosaki Ichigo was so moved by this heroic deed that he promised never to do evil again," Rika turned to the last page. She read the contents, her face flamed up, and slammed the book shut. "...The End."

"Master, you skipped the last page. Read it out," Yukianesa told her, mischief literally lighting up her ruby-red eyes.

"I will never read something like that!" Rika screamed in embarrassment.

"Very well, I will read that last page for you. I know what it says, since I created it," she offered to do so in her place. That only served to horrify her wielder. "Peace has returned to the land, and Anesa Yuki finally gets the life she hopes to live."

_"Darling, breakfast is ready!" _Rika's voice called out like a woman who had finally gotten her true love. Everyone's eyes bugged out when they heard that. Rika could only stand still like a statue with a face that was as red as a tomato.

"Yes, my love! Coming!" Yukianesa replied in a blissed and content voice.

_"Now, darling. Remember what we always do before we eat?" _Rika's voice teased.

"I forgot. Please remind me, love."

_"My morning kiss, of course." _Yukianesa suddenly jumped up and hooped her arms around Rika's neck. In surprise, she dropped the book, making it shatter on the ground to hold her up. Yukianesa leaned forward and kissed Rika on the cheek, giving the gawking spectators an alluring look that made her look sexily adorable if there ever was such a term. A few men started drooling while others had nosebleeds, all looking like idiots. Inoue had a heavy blush on her face as she looked away while Kuukaku burst out laughing. Ichigo had finally hit his limit and tried to storm over to utterly murder the girl who called herself Rika's Zanpakutou only to be held back by Ganju. Ganju had a slight nosebleed but was not incapable of moving like the others. Rika on the other hand, did the one thing that could save her from all the embarrassment and humiliation. She fainted dead on the spot.

"Aw, how cute!" Yukianesa squealed over her wielder's fallen state.

"Just what the hell was the point of that story? It didn't even make any sense!" Ichigo roared in fury even as he struggled to break free.

"Wasn't the point of it to entertain? The story doesn't necessarily have to make sense," she replied with a sly tone.

"YOU LITTLE...!"

Rika was passed out for the rest of the night, only waking up the next morning with selective memory loss. She did remember feeling scandalized and wondered why Ichigo kept on glaring at her Zanpakutou attached to her side. When she asked why, he refused to answer. Yukianesa did, and it brought back all her memories from last night.

"YUKIANESA!" she screamed with all her might at her Zanpakutou, scaring a few Shinigamis who were walking by. It was bad enough Captain Hitsugaya yelled at Matsumoto like that quite frequently. Rika had a red face for the rest of the morning until it was time to return to the Living World. Ichigo was presented with a Substitute Shinigami Badge, but not Rika. It was understandable, since Rika did not do much and she was pretty much unknown. It was not that big a deal since they could share the badge. Captain Ukitake was the one who saw them off. They walked through a formal Senkaimon, and ended up being chased by the train-like thing again. Yoruichi explained that it was because only Shinigamis could control the Hell Butterflies. Since they did not have any, they were chased down. They made it out safely, except they were in the sky. As they fell, a huge ball of cloth rammed into them and unfolded itself into something reminiscent of a magic carpet.

Urahara welcomed them back and asked if they had heard about him. When Ichigo answered in the affirmative, he immediately bowed his head low and apologized sincerely. Ichigo forgave him anyway, but gave him an elbow for thinking he would panic and run away if he had heard the truth from the start. Urahara dropped everyone off near their houses except for the Kurosaki siblings. They dropped off near the riverbank, staring at it in memory.

"Nii-san," Rika turned to him.

"What?" he asked.

"Shall we race?" she challenged him with a smile on her face.

"Race, huh?" a smirk came to his face. "How long has it been since we played something like that?"

"Ever since that day," her smile turned a bit solemn at the memory. "How about it? For old time's sake?"

"Sure, why not?" he agreed.

"Let's race using Shunpo," she set the conditions.

"Interesting. Let's do this!"

"The finish line is in front of the house. Ready?" they both got into a sprinting position. "GO!" They both took off in bursts of Shunpo. In the end, Rika won by one full Shunpo but victory and defeat did not matter to them. All that mattered was the simple game.

"We're home," they said together, looking at their home fondly.

**Author's Note: The Soul Society Arc is finished. Now that it's over and done with, I'm planning to write a mini-arc focused on Rika first, maybe two or three chapters long, before deciding to do either the Bount Arc or jump straight to the Arrancar Arc. I'm not exactly a fan of the Bount Arc, but I figured maybe I should give it a try. I'll think about it while writing Rika's mini-arc.**

**There's a hidden hint about one of Yukianesa's abilities in this chapter. Being an ice-elemental Zanpakutou, manipulating ice to form all sorts of shape is child's play for her. However, she has used another one of her abilites in full view of the public eye without anyone knowing or suspecting anything, not even Rika. She has used this ability once before. Can anyone guess what it is?**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	25. Side Story: Brother Oh Brother

Right after they returned from Soul Society, School had immediately restarted. They spent their entire summer holiday rescuing Rukia. No-one regretted the loss at all. Fortunately for everyone, they had finished their summer homework during the one week wait for the Senkaimon. In her first day back, her art class mentioned that the school was organizing an art event for the first years to display their art skills to the entire school. It was a compulsory event, so every first year had to participate. Of course, only the really nice pieces of art would be displayed. Naturally, there were prizes for the top three. Everyone could hand in a maximum of two entries, and they had until Friday to complete their assignment.

Rika had no natural love for art, but she had acceptable talent when it came to drawings. She pondered on what to draw when Yukianesa offered herself as a model. Apparently, being an actor and a model equaled to fun to the playful spirit. She dragged Rika into her inner world to pose. She wanted Rika to know she was beautiful. She danced gracefully in the snow plains with gently falling snow around her. It was indeed a beautiful scene to behold, until Rika learnt she could not take anything out from her inner world. Yukianesa's great mood fell a little until she got the great idea of manifesting herself to the real world and then drawing it herself.

It took her three days before completing her masterpiece due to various circumstances, such as staying out of her family's sight, especially Ichigo's. It was her in a graceful dancing pose in the snow plains complete with the falling snow. Rika was very amazed with her Zanpakutou's talent. It certainly exceeded her own. In the meantime, Rika could only manage a draw an enlarged image of Hollow Ichigo's mask. She noticed the increase of the red lines that had mysteriously appeared on the mask when she finally took it out of her shihakushou to take a second look. On the last day of school for the week, Yukianesa was feeling very confident about her art and that it was definitely going to be shown.

The start of a series of unfortunate events occurred when Rika felt nature's call during art class just before handing in her assignment. She excused herself and asked her classmate to help her hand in her piece. While she was gone, the teacher asked for Rika's pictures, and her classmate handed them in. She had picked up two pieces of art paper. One was Yukianesa's work, while the one hidden behind it was Rika's own drawing of the Hollow mask. They were both handed in and both were deemed as her entries. Later that night, Rika was feeling depressed because she had lost the picture of the mask. It was one of her better pieces, and it was missing.

Ichigo had heard about her art event since their principal had announced it during the school announcement. The top twenty entries would be displayed for all to see, and the top three would receive prizes. He looked forward to seeing what his sister had drawn for it, and wondered if her drawing would be shown. Rika replied that she was confident it would.

The next Monday, lunch break was extended as the results for the art event had been decided. Not everyone looked forward to it, but welcomed the extended break anyway. The head teacher for art went into a long-winded speech, putting many students who were uninterested in art to sleep. It was only until his overly loud announcement that the results were going to be shown that woke them up. At least that got their attention as they mildly looked forward to seeing the winning pieces. The top three pieces were given great emphasis by the art teachers who wished to comment on them.

Yukianesa's art, which was labeled under Rika's name, came in fifth. Many students were impressed with the drawing and many of her classmates praised her. Of course, she quietly redirected that praise to the gloating Yukianesa. Ichigo grudgingly admitted to himself that the picture was very nicely drawn, but why did it have to be that damn girl? Even thinking about her made him feel irritated. He half-gazed at the remaining pictures until picture number 20 caught his full attention. His eyes widened in horror at it. It was the mask that appeared on his face when he was fighting Byakuya! How did Rika know what it looked like? Why did she draw it? Seeing that picture reminded him of his intended talk with Rika concerning his inner Hollow. He had forgotten about it due to the chaos they kicked up in Soul Society.

Rika gawked at the picture of the Hollow mask being presented to the entire school. Her classmate must have had handed it in as well! She prayed to the heavens that her brother would not call her out on it.

"Rika. We need to talk," Ichigo confronted her at the school gate with a no-nonsense tone. She cursed her horrible luck once again.

"Y-Yes, nii-san..." she followed him home with a subdued expression on her face. She had never felt so small in her life. They walked in silence all the way until Ichigo closed and locked their bedroom door.

"All the others got worried when they saw that picture," he told her with his back turned.

"Yes..." she muttered her reply.

"Where did you see that?" he turned around and looked at her square in the eyes. She could not hold his gaze for long before looking away.

"When we were training in Urahara-san's basement," she answered. It was not a lie, since she did see his mask back then.

"I know you don't have photographic memory. That picture looked like you were looking directly at it and drawing. You don't normally have that kind of detail in your art."

"Nii-san, I..."

"During the fight with Kenpachi, Zangetsu brought me into my inner world. He gave me a test, and I had to fight another me. It was only during my fight with Byakuya did I realize he was a Hollow. I don't really know or care about him, but he claims to have already met you. Is that true?"

"N-No. I only met him when I tried to save you from his attack," she answered honestly. She could not recall meeting Hollow Ichigo at all before then.

"He called you Rika-chan, didn't he?" Rika nodded her head. "When he took control during that fight, you called him Onii-san, didn't you?" he narrowed his eyes at his sister.

"He said that he was another you. I know he is a Hollow, but I don't think he's a bad person. He did save your life," she tried to defend herself as well as trying to put Hollow Ichigo in a brighter light.

"I don't trust him. And you shouldn't too," he eased his glare on her. "If anything, he only saved my life just to save his own. I don't think help like that deserve any thanks."

"But...!" Rika tried to protest.

"If he somehow shows up again, don't get friendly with him. It's for your own good."

"But Onii-san, he... He helped me. He said that he wouldn't let me get hurt when the Getsuga Tenshou exploded and I was within the blast range," she whispered.

"Don't, call him Onii-san," Ichigo told her sternly. "I'm your only brother. That guy is not me, or anything like me. He is not your brother. So don't call him that."

Rika could only grip her skirt in both her hands. She did not understand why Ichigo spoke so negatively of his Hollow self. She wanted to believe in Hollow Ichigo. So far he had not done anything for her to treat him like an enemy. She realized, however, that Ichigo was the one carrying him around, and that he probably knew more about him than her. But still...

"I'm going out for a walk," she said, moving around him quickly and getting outside.

She walked around aimlessly until she stopped at Karakura Park. She sat down under a large tree and took out the Hollow mask she was constantly carrying around. Only the spiritually aware could see it, but she was not about to let anyone see it at all. As she looked at it, lost in her thoughts, her fingers absentmindedly traced the red lines that were only on the left side of the mask. She remembered that at first, there were three lines on the upper left. Now two more lines have added themselves in between the eye hole and the row of teeth.

The mask had not disappeared when she went back into her human body, instead leaving itself in her hand. She had attempted to use it as a breastplate as well, but it was extremely uncomfortable since she did not wear an undershirt in human form, only underwear. There was nothing to hold it in place, so it moved whenever she did. She spent her time in the park thinking about how she would carry it around without paying it too much attention.

She eventually decided to make a bead necklace for the mask. She made her way to a jewelery shop and purchased some cheap but attractive beads. She spent the rest of the afternoon in the shop making her necklace. None of the workers could see the mask, even when she placed it out in the open for her to loop the necklace around both eye holes as the anchor. When she was done beading her necklace, she had the shop worker add clasps to finish it. When she was done, evening had already fallen. She took the necklace and clasped it around her neck, leaving the Hollow mask hanging in the middle of her chest and under her school uniform. All her shirts and blouses were baggy, including her uniform, so the mask would not show its shape from underneath unless she was pulled by her clothes from behind.

Rika got home just before seven, dinnertime for the Kurosaki family. Dinner was uncomfortable for the family, the tension between Ichigo and Rika nearly palpable. Isshin, being the eccentric man that he was, accused Ichigo of abusing Rika. He denied any such thing, calling it nonsense. He would never lay a hand on any of his sisters. Karin asked nonchalantly if they had a fight, which Rika denied as well. There was never a fight. They merely talked about a subject that neither could completely agree on.

Later that night, Rika quickly removed her necklace and hid the Hollow mask in her own personal drawer. Both her and Ichigo had one, and they never touched each other's drawer without permission. Before they went to sleep, Ichigo told her that he initially wanted her to get rid of the picture of his Hollow mask. However, he decided that he would not do that since it was only a picture and that it would not hurt anyone. Rika thanked him for his consideration and he told her she was welcome. His only gripe was the very well-drawn picture of Yukianesa dancing in the snow plains that Rika had proudly taped to the wall. He still could not get over his irritation towards the spirit. He also told her not to mention about Hollow Ichigo again. It was his own problem to settle, and he did not want her to get unnecessarily involved.

"I... don't know..." she admitted. She honestly did not know what she would do if their problem was to happen in front of her.

"Is that so?" Ichigo responded. As he laid his head on his pillow, he glared at the ceiling, eyes full of angry determination. _'Damn Hollow! I won't let you lay a single finger on Rika! I don't know what you did to bewitch her, but you won't get your way!'_

**Author's Note: Forgive my mistake in the previous chapter. A break that lasts only two or three chapters should be called side stories, not a mini-arc. This is the start of Rika's side stories before I move on to either the Bount Arc or the Arrancar Arc.**

**Ichigo learns that Rika has made contact with his inner Hollow. He cannot stand the fact that she refers to him as another brother and believes him to be a good guy, and tries to change her mind. However, Rika does not give him a definite answer. He does not know what Rika's decision will be concerning his situation with his inner Hollow, but has sworn to never let him get his hands on his sister.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	26. Side Story: Zanpakutou Switcharoo

On a peaceful Saturday night, when the entire Kurosaki household was asleep, Ichigo's Substitute Shinigami badge started wailing, waking up the older pair of Kurosaki siblings.

"Rika, it's your turn tonight..." Ichigo mumbled irritably, trying to get back to sleep. Rika merely grunted in response, grabbing the badge on their desk and pressed it to her chest, popping out her Shinigami form.

Still half-asleep, she Shunpo-ed to where the Hollow was at. Giving it a tired glance, she saw that it was a small Hollow, nothing to be concerned about. She quickly dispatched it and headed back home. Halfway there, she detected another Hollow loitering near her house. Ichigo's badge could be heard wailing again and Ichigo was once again roused from his sleep. This time he took matters into his own hands and got his Shinigami form out of his body.

He spotted a vaguely humanoid Hollow with a mask that resembled a clown's face right outside his window with Rika closing in from behind. Deciding to make it quick, he removed Zangetsu from his back and made to swing at the Hollow. He missed, and so did Rika who attacked from behind. The Hollow laughed and touched both their Zanpakutous, causing them to flash in a bright light, blinding the siblings. When it died down, they were shocked to see that they had swapped Zanpakutous.

"What the?" both of them exclaimed. They could no longer feel the usual presence of their respective Zanpakutous. In its place was a presence that was alien to them.

**"Hahaha! Do you like my magic trick? I have killed many Shinigamis because of it, since they don't know how to use their own ally's Zanpakutou!"** he taunted them mockingly before lunging towards them. He nearly lost his arms to a synchronized attack. Their form was definitely off, but they were far from helpless. **"Dangerous! Dangerous!"** the Hollow backed away. **"I'll let you off for now. This magic trick takes a lot out of me,** **you know."** He then took off by tearing a hole in the sky and vanishing into it before he could be killed by the siblings.

"He got away!" Ichigo cursed under his breath. He stared at his sister's Zanpakutou that was now in his hand. He turned his gaze to Rika, who was struggling a little from carrying Zangetsu. "Rika," he called her, holding Yukianesa out. They exchanged their Zanpakutous, but the feeling of their bonds to their respective Zanpakutous could not be felt. The alien feeling remained there. "What the hell is this?" Ichigo demanded.

**"Play, Yukianesa!"** Rika called out her command phrase, but her Zanpakutou did not go to Shikai. "I don't feel a response..." She sat down on the air and got into a meditative stance, performing Jinzen and going into her inner world.

"Kurosaki Rika," an elderly man's voice called to her. Not hearing her Zanpakutou's melodious voice made her open her eyes in surprise. Standing in the snow plains was not Yukianesa, but Zangetsu. She could only manage to stare at him in shock. "This seems to be the work of that Hollow," Zangetsu broke the silence, answering the question that he knew she would ask.

"Um... You may rest in that cottage over there, Zangetsu-san... I'll talk to nii-san about this..." she pointed to the cottage and promptly returned to the real world.

"What did you find?" Ichigo asked her after she opened her eyes.

"Zangetsu is in my inner world..." she told him.

"What?" he exclaimed, glancing at the no-longer-his Zangetsu in his hand. "That means..."

"MASTER!" Yukianesa's trademark bells jingled before she appeared next to Ichigo with a huge pout on her face. She glared at Ichigo with childish anger of extreme proportions. She faced Rika and pointed an accusing finger at her brother. "Why did you let this happen? I don't want to be his Zanpakutou!" she complained.

"Hey! The same thing happened to Zangetsu if you didn't realize!" Ichigo argued.

"Zangetsu is just a boring old man! I don't care about him!" she shouted angrily. "And his inner world is just as boring! There are only skyscrapers in it, and even then his world is sideways! There's nothing to do there!"

"What was that?" Ichigo snapped, bristling at having his Zanpakutou and his inner world insulted.

"We'll try to fix this as soon as possible, okay? So calm down, alright?" Rika tried to appease the fuming spirit.

"How can I calm down? I became the Zanpakutou of Mr. Idiot here!" she kicked his ankle in frustration.

"Ow! You think I like having you as my Zanpakutou, you snotty brat!" he snarled, hopping on one foot. His rage suddenly disappeared, and a cruel smirk appeared on his face. "Maybe I might like you as my Zanpakutou for a little while..." Sensing the dangerous intent leaking from Ichigo, Yukianesa became nervous and slowly backed away from him. "Come here, you little brat! Time for some payback!"

"No! Save me, Master!" Yukianesa screamed, this time in genuine fear as she hid behind Rika.

"Wait, nii-san! Don't bully Yukianesa! She's just a child! Forgive her!" she tried to cover for her now-not-hers Zanpakutou, standing over her protectively.

"Who's your Master now? ME!" he declared almost proudly as he Shunpo-ed past Rika and grabbed Yukianesa by her cape.

"Let go of me, you brute!" Yukianesa kicked and struggled violently to get away.

"Oh no... Not until I get my revenge!" he had a positively evil smirk as he pulled her towards him.

"NO! Let go, you child abuser! You pedophile! You ogre! You demon!" she yelled all kind of insults at him. She stopped when he put a palm on her head.

"Naughty children need to be punished!" He roughly ruffled her hair, his palm digging into her scalp.

"OUCH! Stop that! You big bully! That hurts! Master, help me!" she cried out for Rika.

"That's enough, right nii-san? Forgive her already," Rika pleaded to her brother again.

"No wonder she's so bratty. You pamper her too much, Rika!" Ichigo looked at his sister in an almost accusing manner. Her face flushed red in embarrassment, since she really did pamper Yukianesa quite a lot.

"Help me already!" Yukianesa yelled under Ichigo's unrelenting assault.

"Shut up!" Ichigo pressed down harder, making her yelp and lower her head from the force. "That's no way to ask a favor from someone, even if it is to someone who pampers you like a baby!"

"I'm not a baby! I'm a Zanpakutou!" Yukianesa snapped back, modifying her usual retort.

"Who cares about that! You're just a spoilt, pampered, snot-nosed brat to me!"

"Master, help me...!" Rika detected a slight sniffle from Yukianesa.

"That's enough, nii-san! You're going to make her cry!" she tried to pull her away from him but he picked her up before she could do so. He held her under his arm and tucked her bottom out.

"W-What are you doing, you pervert!" Yukianesa screamed in protest, flailing about to no avail. A loud smack was heard, and her bum started to sting. Ichigo was delivering butt-slaps to the normally mischievous spirit. It was more or less a punishment fit for a child. Still, Rika did not like it, even though Ichigo was never really intending to bully the poor girl. She yelped and screamed whenever her butt was hit.

"How's that, huh? Give up now, you little brat?" Ichigo smirked at her after smacking her for a minute straight. Yukianesa could only glare hatefully at him with tear-filled eyes. "I see you need more punishment!" Her eyes widened in fear.

"No! I give up! I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" she begged, the tears flowing down her cheeks. He looked at her skeptically before turning to Rika. She was glaring at him with a huge frown on her face. He then realized what he had done. In his eagerness to enact revenge on the Zanpakutou that humiliated him in Soul Society, he had completely forgotten that Yukianesa was originally Rika's Zanpakutou. He knew he would not like it if Rika abused Zangetsu, even if he doubted the old man would stand for it. Yukianesa managed to break free when his grip loosened and ran over to her original wielder, glomping her and crying into her shihakushou.

"What do you have to say for yourself, nii-san?" she asked coldly while patting Yukianesa's head in a soothing manner. "Bullying a child like that. And what's worse is that you're bullying my Zanpakutou! You didn't have to go that far!"

"Okay, maybe I did..." he admitted reluctantly. "But I'm not apologizing for this! She deserved every bit of it!"

"You didn't have to smack her!"

"And let her get away with hitting me? No way!"

"She only hit you three times! You hit her over fifteen times! That's a big difference!" Rika turned away from him with a huff and pulled the crying Yukianesa along. She got back into her room with an irate Ichigo following behind feeling like he was scolded for doing something right.

Yukianesa stuck to Rika like glue, glaring at Ichigo with extreme prejudice whenever she had the chance. He returned her glares with those of his own, making imaginary electricity shoot from their eyes until Rika broke them up. She asked why Yukianesa did not return to the inner world to escape, but she said she could not. She wanted to return back to the comfort of Rika's inner world, not the boring sideways inner world belonging to Ichigo. She could consume Ichigo's reiryoku to make up for her depleting reiatsu but he dodged all her attempts to steal it. She eventually gave up and very reluctantly returned to Ichigo's inner world to recover her lost reiatsu.

A few days passed, and the Kurosaki siblings were having a lot of trouble doing their duties. Zangetsu was a little heavy for Rika to swing properly, and Yukianesa simply refused to co-operate with Ichigo. That rendered him unable to kill any Hollows other than the weakest ones, leaving the less experienced Rika to kill the stronger Hollows on her own.

They had tried switching Zanpakutous, but it only helped to a small degree. Ichigo had no problems using Zangetsu, similarly with Rika and Yukianesa, except they could not use any of their abilities and Rika could not access Shikai. That normally would not be a problem, except their cutting power was dropped significantly when not with their 'real' owners. They kept on struggling this way until Rika was contacted by someone she never expected. During her sleep, she was called into her inner world.

"Zangetsu-san?" she looked around the snow plains, hoping to find the black-cloaked man.

**"Yo,"** an echoing voice called out to her. Surprised, she turned around to see Ichigo, except he was mostly colored in white. He was wearing a reverse-colored shihakushou. What was originally black was white and vice-versa. His hair was pure white and his skin was a pale white. The most distinguished thing about him were the black and gold eyes and the ever-present smirk. Rika instantly put two and two together.

"Onii-san?" she carefully responded, keeping Ichigo's warning to not be so friendly with him in mind. However, she kept all options open in case he was wrong.

**"Looks like you're having some trouble out there,"** he said. **"Zangetsu a little too heavy for you?"**

"Yes, it's not that heavy, but I can't swing so well," she replied.

**"Did you know that Zanpakutous are pretty weightless in their own wielder's hands? Zangetsu may be in here for now, but he wasn't made by your soul. It was made by Ichigo's soul,"** he gave her a little trivia.

"But until that clown Hollow comes back and we kill him, Zangetsu-san won't be able to go back to nii-san. I think he's troubled by this," she frowned a little.

**"Not really. Your inner world is pretty comfy unlike Ichigo's. No surprise your Zanpakutou behaves like a spoilt little princess,"** he chuckled. Due to the nature of his voice, it made him sound sinister, sending involuntary shivers up Rika's spine. **"Besides, if you don't get used to Zangetsu, you won't be able to take down that Hollow or any other stronger ones without looking like you're trying to kill yourself."**

"How can I do that?" she asked. "I suppose I can get used to the weight, but what if I need something stronger to take out stronger Hollows?"

**"You mean the Getsuga Tenshou? Of course you won't be able to use it! Don't be an idiot like Ichigo!"** he laughed at her, making her shrink from shame. **"But!" **he suddenly shouted.** "I just may be able to help you out. How about it, Rika-chan? Do you want 'big brother' to help?"** he asked somewhat mockingly.

"Really?" she brightened up. "Can you really help me?"

**"Of course. I'll help you out in the next fight. Here's a hint, my cute little sister. Look at the cloth,"** he told her before she was abruptly ejected from her inner world. When she was gone, Zangetsu came out from the cottage.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asked with a tone of neutrality. He did not particularly dislike Rika in any way. She just was not as strong-willed as Ichigo was.

**"What's the harm in teaching her a little bit? We won't be hers for long anyway,"** Hollow Ichigo shrugged. **"She's still naive when it comes to fighting and her instinct, but she isn't stupid like Ichigo. Besides, she still has my mark around her. That's a plus in my book."**

"Are you planning to let her use the Getsuga Tenshou?" he asked again as he reabsorbed Hollow Ichigo back into his being.

**"You don't have to worry about her using your Getsuga Tenshou. I'll make her use my version,"** he snickered just before his head vanished.

Rika woke up feeling like she had just been enlightened. She was clearly in a good mood all day, judging by the smile on her face. Everyone wondered what happened that caused this, but she refused to reveal what it was. Her mood disappeared when on the home from school, Ichigo's badge started wailing. Ichigo had started bringing Kon in pill form to school while he lent Rika his badge. There was no way he would let the perverted Mod Soul inhabit his sister's body.

They shared a glance before Rika pressed the badge against her chest, popping out her Shinigami form with Zangetsu strapped to her back. Ichigo swallowed the pill and Kon took over his body. He instructed Kon to take Rika home. Kon listened somewhat obediently, walking towards home while carrying Rika's comatose body bridal style.

"Ah, I wish Rika would do things with me," he sighed miserably, thinking of various H-related activities. So far, she was the only girl around that would actually tolerate his perverse attitude, at least to a certain degree. As long as he refrained from peeking on her and touching certain areas of her body on purpose, namely her chest and between her legs, he was safe. His face brightened up when he remembered that her body was currently empty and unconscious. He looked down at her and a very perverted grin appeared on his face. "Maybe, I can..." A dangerous aura suddenly came to life behind him. He turned his head and saw Rika's reiatsu flaring angrily around her.

"Kon, if you ever do something inappropriate to my body, you will pay with your life. Do you understand me?" she growled at him.

"I got you, ma'am," he replied extra politely and made sure not to even think of perverted thoughts, lest he end up doing it. He ran all the way home, placed Rika on her bed and quickly bolted out of the room, fearing for his life. Women were scary when they wanted to be.

Ichigo and Rika took off to where they sensed the Hollow and today was their lucky day. It was that clown Hollow. Rika placed Zangetsu in front of her and watched the cloth shrink itself into the hilt wrap. That gave her a huge idea, an idea that was originally thought up by Hollow Ichigo. She experimented for a little bit, holding Zangetsu up by the cloth. She nearly dropped it as a result, only regaining her hold on it when the weight of Zangetsu was massively reduced without any notice. Once her grip was certain, the cloth automatically adjusted itself to the length she found appropriate. Maybe she could use it like a giant throwing knife with a retractable wire attached. She never sensed the Hollow mask hidden inside her shihakushou resonating with Zangetsu.

Ichigo watched with horror when she started swinging Zangetsu in circles by its cloth wrap before throwing it forward. The clown Hollow felt its instincts warn him of danger and he barely managed to get out of the way. Rika frowned in displeasure as she tugged the cloth, making Zangetsu rebound back towards her. He knew that style of combat with Zangetsu anywhere. It was the Hollow's style. Once again, he wondered how in the world she knew about it. However, first things first. That clown Hollow was going to be slain, and their problems would be over.

**"That's right. That's the way, Rika-chan,"** Hollow Ichigo encouraged from her mind. **"You learnt that the cloth can be used like that. Clever girl."** Rika quickly found out that Hollow was not really that strong. He was just tricky and nimble, able to avoid her slower attacks.

Ichigo was too stunned to do anything to contribute to the fight, not that he could since Yukianesa was being a major pain and totally refusing to work with him. He just stood there and stared as Rika fought against the clown Hollow using his Hollow's style. He saw that she had some difficulty in controlling how to throw Zangetsu in any other way than a straight line. The clown Hollow had tried using a long-range attack, but had to abort it to avoid being impaled straight through the skull by a thrown Zangetsu. He could not get close, and he could not use any long-ranged attacks. He was totally on the defensive. After pulling Zangetsu back from another missed throw, she finally reverted back to the standard grip and started getting in close.

**"Hey, hey! This isn't funny! Why is this girl so good at using someone else's Zanpakutou?" **the clown Hollow was starting to panic. This was a first for him, since he was always the one making his enemies panicked when he switched their Zanpakutous. They were normally so useless after that and became easy pickings for him despite the huge drain on his reiatsu after making the switch. His panicking made him lose focus, and he was getting injured by Rika's below-average Zanjutsu. **"Crap! I've gotta get out of here!" **he exclaimed when he managed to get inside Rika's guard and kick her away. He conveniently forgot about the mid-range capabilities of Zangetsu as he tore the sky apart to escape.

"You're not getting away!" Rika threw Zangetsu forward, thrusting it straight through both his arms and cutting them off just below the elbow. As he screamed in pain, she rushed in, grabbing Zangetsu as she pulled it back to her hand. With an upward swing, she slashed him in half and purified his human soul. She never saw the bright red light that shot out of Zangetsu's edge. Ichigo did, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. It was small compared to his own, about half the size, but that did not matter. The fact that his sister could even use the Getsuga Tenshou was one thing, but he swore the color was off. Very off. He was absolutely sure the Getsuga Tenshou in Shikai was a bright blue, not a bright red.

Their Zanpakutous flashed the same bright light that caused the switch, and they were back to their original owners. Yukianesa was never more glad to be back with Rika, citing torturous boredom while stuck inside Ichigo's inner world. Their reunion was cut short when Ichigo called for Rika.

"Rika, how did you learn to use Zangetsu like that?" he asked coldly.

"I looked at how the cloth moved with Zangetsu and I thought it could be used like that," Rika answered truthfully, leaving out the fact that Hollow Ichigo gave her the hint.

"Is that true? 'He' didn't teach you?" he really doubted she would lie, but he had to make absolutely sure.

"No. I just figured it out," she shook her head, knowing who he was referring to.

"And the Getsuga Tenshou?" he asked his last inquiry.

"Huh?" was her intelligent reply. "I never used the Getsuga Tenshou."

"But you did," he insisted. "And the color of the slash was red, not blue. Mind telling me why?"

"Really...? But I was sure I never even tried to use it..." Rika cocked her head to the side in confusion. Ichigo looked at her tentatively before sighing and easing his scowl. The same thing had happened to him. He did not realize it either when he used the Getsuga Tenshou for the first time. For that, he could believe her. The only thing he was not sure was if his sister had somehow made contact with his inner Hollow again. This was not good news at all, since he wanted her away from him as much as possible. If they did make contact, how in the world did they do so? He doubted Rika was the one who initiated these meetings. While he was glad Zangetsu had returned to him, it plagued his mind knowing that during that switch, Rika and his inner Hollow might have made contact.

Ichigo could not sleep for majority of the night. The only thing on his mind was what he could do to keep them apart. He suspected his inner Hollow of having a special interest in Rika for some time now. He had to find a way to stop him from contacting his sister. While Rika would not go to him voluntarily, she would not deny his 'visits' either. It was not good enough. She held his inner Hollow in a friendly light, willing to give him a chance despite knowing what he was. Even more 'visits' might change her opinion of him for the better, which was worse, and he had to prevent that from happening. He must prevent it, before Rika became too attached to his inner Hollow.

**Author's Note: Ichigo gets a small measure of revenge against Yukianesa, but earns the ire of his sister. He counters by saying that Rika was like a mother hen to an overly pompous chick by pampering her way too much. Naturally, since they hate each other, Ichigo ends up pretty useless with her as his temporary Zanpakutou.**

**Zangetsu, on the other hand, simply tolerated Rika, neither hating nor liking her, aiding her with just the minimal needs. Hollow Ichigo thinks otherwise, having a special interest in her as noted by Ichigo himself.**

**At this point, no-one knows that Zangetsu and Hollow Ichigo share the same body. As such, the spiritual embodiment of Zangetsu during the second fight with the clown Hollow is actually Hollow Ichigo. He's the cause of the sudden decrease in weight and the red Getsuga Tenshou. He did say Rika won't be able to use the Getsuga Tenshou, but he never said whose Getsuga Tenshou.**

**Ichigo immediately suspects his inner Hollow as the culprit for his sister's sudden prowess in handling Zangetsu. He suspects that they might have made contact when their Zanpakutous were switched but doesn't know how Hollow Ichigo did it. The only thing he's concerned about is to stop them from meeting at all costs before it's too late and sparks fly between the two.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	27. Side Story: Boredom Of A Succubus

Yukianesa laid down on the bed in the cottage in a white nightgown, tossing and turning in sheer restlessness. If there was one thing she learned to hate about the real world, it was school. School was so boring! How did Rika stand it? The teacher droned on and on about subjects she did not understand. Even language class was boring, even though it was essential in everyday life.

Yukianesa had watched Rika during class through the television one day, and she could not stand it. It bored her half to death. Every time Rika would go to school, Yukianesa would attempt to go to sleep. However, since school was conducted all morning and only end in the afternoon, she just could not sleep. She tried eating the entire time away, but even that became repetitive. Playing in the snow by herself was just not that entertaining.

She then came to an epiphany. She would call Rika into her inner world and spend time with her until morning arrived. That way she would be able to fall asleep throughout the rest of the morning! It was a great idea. That Sunday night, Rika found herself in her inner world during her sleep.

"Master!" Yukianesa greeted her cheerfully in her usual outfit.

"Yuki-chan? Is something the matter? You've never called me during my sleep before," Rika looked at her Zanpakutou in concern.

"Spend time with me, Master! I get really bored sometimes! Play with me!" she requested, though Rika had the vague feeling she was demanding for play time.

"Sorry, but I can't play with you right now. I have to rest for school tomorrow," she apologized to her.

"Don't worry about that. If I call you here during your sleep, treat it like a dream. Your body will still be rested," she brushed that concern aside. And so, Rika was coerced into playing with her playful spirit. They played in the snow plains, creating snow sculptures. Rika could only manage to make a typical snowman which Yukianesa scoffed at, calling it 'too plain and simple'.

In response, she made a very elaborate sculpture of herself. She was posing in a seductive manner on a pedestal. Rika blushed hard and scolded her for making such indecent creations. Yukianesa said that she did not think so, since she was a succubus. Rika had honestly forgotten that fact, since she looked nothing like one.

"Besides," she added. "Posing like that can hardly be called indecent. If you really want indecent, how about this?" Rika watched in apprehension as her Zanpakutou started making an even bigger snow sculpture. She turned as pale as a ghost when she saw the completed product. It was her and Yukianesa on top of her clad in nightgowns. That was nothing to worry about, if she was not counting the fact that both the figures had a look of lust on their faces and they seemed to be closing in a for a kiss. "Isn't it a masterpiece?" Yukianesa spoke proudly of her work.

"T-T-Th... This... This..." Rika pointed at it with a trembling finger. "THIS IS SO WRONG!" she quickly made a snowball and threw it full force into the sculpture, busting a hole at where Yukianesa's face was. She let out a mute scream of horror as the whole thing started crumbling apart. "First of all, I'd like to believe I'm straight! Second of all, I don't think of you like that! And third of all, I am not a pedophile!" she screamed.

"My masterpiece..." she grieved over its loss. "Master, how could you do something so cruel...?" she looked at her wielder with wet puppy eyes and trembling lips.

"How could you make something so shameless?" Rika shot back. "You are a Zanpakutou, aren't you? How do you even know about this kind of things?" Seeing that her act was not working, Yukianesa got back into her usual mischievous demeanor.

"Because I'm a succubus," she answered simply. "A succubus is a being of lust. As a Zanpakutou, I lust after reiatsu, hence my absorption ability and my ability to take reiryoku from you. Do you understand, Master? I am not a succubus just for the fun of it."

"I suppose that makes sense..." Rika admitted before she caught onto what Yukianesa was planning. "Hey, wait a second! Don't change the subject here! You haven't told me why you are even interested in this kind of thing!"

"And I thought you would fall for it," Yukianesa pouted childishly. "You're no fun at all, Master. But I'll answer you in any case." They both went into the cottage where Yukianesa served hot chocolate drinks made from Rika's reiryoku. How chocolate could remain hot inside a refrigerator was beyond Rika. "Like I said, I am a succubus. That should explain everything."

From English folk tales, Rika knew that succubi were generally beings of lust, like Yukianesa said. They go after men and after doing 'that', steal their life force and kill them. Yukianesa said that would explain everything. Did that mean she was also...? Rika paled at the conclusion she arrived at.

"Yuki-chan, you... you..." she gulped hard. "You are actually interested in s...s...se..." She could not bring herself to say the three-letter S word.

"You are correct, Master. As a succubus, I am naturally well-versed in the art of having sex," Yukianesa said with no amount of shame at all.

"Don't just say that so casually!" Rika shrieked, feeling utter embarrassment for her Zanpakutou.

"I don't see what's so wrong about it," she replied. "When you want children, you'll have to have sex too."

"Don't say it! Don't say anything!" she screamed in denial even though she knew it as the truth. The terrifying truth that was 'Reproduction equals Sex'. There was no way you could reproduce without doing the activity unless you had a doctor's help to externally fertilize the human egg. That was the only exception. Unfortunately, Rika realized as well that the reverse did not hold true. Really devout people only did that to have children. Some did it to show love to their partner. In the case of prostitutes, money. Others did it just for the fun of it, but that could be classified under lust or rape depending on the situation.

"Don't think about it too hard, Master," Yukianesa told her, sweatdropping when she saw the look of pure terror dawn on her face.

"I can't help it!" Rika exclaimed before mumbling under her breath. Yukianesa giggled a little, seeing how cute her wielder's behavior was. She continued panicking until she suddenly froze and locked her stare at Yukianesa.

"Yuki-chan, there are no men around this place. Does this mean...?" Rika left her question unfinished but she got the point.

"Yes, I can do females too," she nodded. "More specifically, I can only have one partner. Since you're a girl, you'll have to make do." Rika screamed into the air in despair at the revelation. Her Zanpakutou just openly admitted she was bisexual! From how she said it, she preferred men as partners, showing a small sign of normalcy. However, the fact that she did not mind doing the activity with females horrified the poor teenage girl. "If I was a normal living girl or a spirit, I would be bisexual as you might have guessed. But since my partner is you and you alone, you can label me a lesbian," Yukianesa gave a comforting smile.

"That doesn't make things any better!" Rika yelled, beginning to hyperventilate from all the stress. "I can't believe a Zanpakutou of all things would be so into 'it'..."

"Oh? Is the word 'sex' so hard for you to say?" Yukianesa teased, catching the extreme reluctance of her wielder.

"Don't say it like that! It's so embarrassing!" Rika covered her burning face with her hands.

"Come now. Repeat after me: S-E-X. Sex," the spirit spoke in a teacherly manner.

"NO!" Rika wailed, burying her face into the snow and crying her traumatized heart out. Before she could be tormented further, the ring of the alarm bell in the real world could be heard resonating in the air. "I'm saved!" she cried out like she was the rescued lone survivor of a plane crash in a deserted island before she brought herself out of her inner world. The day went by as per normal with no Hollows lurking about which was a bonus.

She was called into her inner world by Yukianesa again that night. Yukianesa was dressed in a hood and a simple dress which were naturally white. She wanted Rika to explore the forests in the inner world together with her. Rika refused and tried to leave, but found that she could not. It seemed that she was being locked inside her inner world by Yukianesa.

"Don't be such a killjoy! Let's play, Master!" she eagerly tugged her hand, pulling her towards the forest. Sighing tiredly, she relented to her Zanpakutou's demands and followed along.

"By the way, what's with the clothes?" Rika asked as Yukianesa walked merrily beside her. "What happened to your usual coat and dress?"

"I wanted to feel the mood of exploring the forest. So I changed to look like Red Riding Hood!" she smiled brightly up at her wielder who sweatdropped.

_'Other than your eyes, there's nothing red about you at all... You look more like White Riding Hood...' _Rika muttered in her thoughts. With nothing better to do, she looked at the pine trees making up the forest. They were realistic enough, even feeling like a tree when she touched one. Yukianesa was humming a tune to herself as she simply led the way. Rika had figured she would not have the patience for something like a stroll. After what felt like hours trekking the forest, she had to ask where they were going.

"Over there," they had just reached the other end of the forest and she saw an igloo the size of a small bedroom. Rika had to refrain from asking why something as primitive as an igloo was here. Yukianesa seemed to have caught her line of thoughts, though. "Oh, that igloo actually isn't part of your inner world. I made it this afternoon," she told her.

"Why an igloo? And what's inside it, anyway?" Rika asked, slightly curious as to what was inside.

"Let's go in and see, shall we?" Yukianesa crawled inside, giving her wielder a disturbingly sly look.

"Why do I get the feeling something is so wrong here...?" Rika muttered before following the spirit in. As she expected, the walls of the igloo were as white as snow and perfectly rounded out. There was more than enough room for both of them to walk around without any difficulty. The only oddity was the king-sized bed made out of ice sitting in the center of the igloo. "What is a bed doing here?"

"What do you think?" Yukianesa removed her hood and dumped it on the ground unceremoniously. When she started to pull her dress up to remove it, Rika flushed red and quickly yanked it back down.

"W-W-W-What do you think you're doing?" she yelled at her.

"Hm? What am I doing?" she gave her a genuinely confused look. "I'm preparing for bed, of course. I'm wearing my sleepwear underneath." Rika reluctantly let go of Yukianesa's dress and she took it off, revealing her 'sleepwear' and making her gape like a goldfish.

"Why are you wearing lingerie?" she shrieked in disbelief. The image was so wrong on Yukianesa! She kicked off her shoes but kept on her thigh-high stockings.

"Why not, Master?" the spirit asked. Rika could not answer since there was really nothing she could say as to why not. "I'm not wearing this for fun, you know. I normally wear a nightgown like you."

"What's the occasion?" Rika asked, literally feeling her mischief permeating in the cold air. "You're not planning anything funny, are you...?"

"Maybe," she replied cheekily with her mischievous innocence. She hopped onto the bed and snuggling her head into one of the pillows that were apparently filled with soft snow. Rika hesitantly got onto the other side of the bed. The moment she laid her head on the pillow, Yukianesa immediately latched onto her with her arms around her mid-section. She turned her head to look at Yukianesa only to see her hugging her like a giant doll. Slightly embarrassed but seeing nothing wrong about it, she did not refuse her.

That was until Yukianesa started snuggling her head against her breasts. Rika stiffened and let out a hitched gasp as her face turned crimson. She did not wear a bra underneath her nightgown, only panties, and thus felt Yukianesa's movements very clearly. The feelings coming from her chest were weird, creepy, eerie and uncomfortable. At the same time, it felt somewhat enjoyable just a bit. A very little bit. It was freaking Rika out! How can something be so disturbing yet likable at the same time? Her mind was jumbled out from the embarrassment of it all and her body made no effort to move, unable to think straight.

And then a very foreign feeling coming from her lower half shot through her nerves like lightning. Rika managed to tilt her head forward just enough to see that Yukianesa's leg had brushed against her crotch! And what was worse was that it produced the exact same feelings as when she snuggled against her breasts except it was a lot more intense! She was just about to scream when she heard the alarm bell in the real world ring.

Her consciousness returned to the real world and she sat up with a very loud yelp, startling Ichigo awake. He hurriedly jumped down and asked what happened. She quickly denied anything and rushed out of the room with a beet red face. She remembered all too clearly what had happened. She was seriously considering if she was being sexually harassed by her own Zanpakutou. It would not be the first time, or maybe not, if she did not count that humiliating frost water training as harassment. She could not question Yukianesa for now because from what she could tell, the spirit was fast asleep.

When Yukianesa awoke later that afternoon, she was immediately confronted by Rika who barged in on her. She angrily demanded an explanation for her actions which Yukianesa refused to answer with an arrogant huff. Rika thought she had eased up on her high and mighty demeanor but it seemed she was wrong. Deciding to go easy on the temperamental girl, Rika promised that she would play with her as long as she kept any and all sexual innuendo out of the way. Yukianesa shot down the compromise, refusing to play with such absurd restrictions according to her.

"That's fine too," Rika shrugged. "Then I just won't play with you anymore." It was a childish response but knowing Yukianesa, it just might work.

"No, wait! I never said I didn't want to play! Just..." Wow, it worked. Yukianesa was flustered, trying to get Rika to stay and play with her while trying to refuse her set conditions. First it was 'I don't want to play!'. The next moment it was 'I still want to play with you!'. Yup, Rika's belief that Yukianesa was a tsundere was definitely confirmed now. But that was what made her so lovable and cute to Rika, even if some of her demands were pretty outrageous.

"Oh alright, Princess. I'll stay and play with you," Rika crouched down to her height and ruffled her hair playfully. She giggled under her touch a little before horror was etched on her face and she quickly broke away.

"Don't treat me like a little girl! I'm a Zanpakutou!" she screamed at her indignantly, her face flushing as she pointed an accusing finger at her. "You're not fooling me by calling me Princess!"

"Yes, yes," Rika replied with a smile on her face as she ruffled her hair once again. Her face was stained red but she never complained or tried to break away again, only fixing the ribbon in her hair once Rika took her hand away. For two days, they played games according to Rika's rules. On the last day which was Friday, Rika came up with a way to keep Yukianesa entertained during school hours. She kept her connection open to Yukianesa and she would speak to her in whispers, keeping her from getting too bored. She had been getting irritable, not being able to play by her own rules.

On the way home from school later that day, Rika's horrible luck reared its ugly head. She and Yukianesa were discussing about how this was the first time Yukianesa had not gotten the upper hand on her and instead was a tie. A new shop was opening in town, and Rika passed by it using her regular route home. When she laid eyes on the shop display, she had to refrain from tearing her own eyes out in despair. Inside her inner world, Yukianesa was cheering for yet another victory over Rika, leaving her streak of teasing her undefeated. Rika had yet to tease her back or counter her attempts at teasing successfully, whether it was a single attempt or over a period of time.

This time it was over a period of five days, and the final score was Yukianesa 3; Rika 2. Rika was teased sexually successfully three times, while Yukianesa was forced to obey Rika's restrictions of no sexual themes two times. Rika cursed her horrible luck for coming across such a shop when she could have gotten away with a tie which was infinitely better than a loss. That shop that just opened happened to be...

A shop dedicated to sexual activity. Everything from a fancy-looking condom to a bondage suit was on display. She dragged her feet all the way to home, nearly in tears at her latest loss. She made it just before 7 PM, the dinner time set by her father. She mumbled a greeting and sulkily headed to her room, telling Yuzu she would be down to eat dinner alone later. Walking up the stairs like her feet were made of lead, she barely registered the tingling of bells sounding behind her. Ichigo and Karin immediately noted the presence of Yukianesa, with the former eying the spirit with distaste.

"You don't need to fret over it so much. You know what they say: If you can't beat them, join them. I'll teach you all about the joys of sex," they heard Yukianesa say. Rika's scream could be heard echoing throughout the house before mischievous laughter followed. Ichigo spat out the rice he was chewing directly at Isshin's face while Karin was frozen in shock, dropping her chopsticks from her limp fingers. Yuzu was immediately curious at their reactions and asked what did they see since they were staring right at the eldest sister. Ichigo shoved his chair backwards and stomped back to his room while Karin took her own sweet time to recover from her shock.

Right after he went up to the second floor, he was down again except his face was red with embarrassment. He refused to answer Yuzu's question about what he saw up there that made him come back down that fast. None of the other family members needed to know that in his rage towards his sister's Zanpakutou spirit, he walked in on her changing. He was fortunate Rika was mature enough not to scream or do anything violent to him. She did leave him a threat of being frozen half to death, and he had no desire to suffer through such an ordeal. He swore to forget it as quickly as possible to preserve whatever dignity his sister had left.

Meanwhile with Yukianesa who had returned to the inner world, her boredom was currently sated. Despite the terrible boredom school gave her indirectly, it was fun being Rika's Zanpakutou. They were so in tune with one another that she felt very important, more so than any other Zanpakutou. The conversations they had and the teasings she gave Rika were so much fun. As long as that did not change, she would not get bored for a very long time.

**Author's Note: This is the last of the side stories. I've decided to go to the Bount Arc but I will shoot through it as fast as possible since there are very few scenes in that arc that actually catch my interest.**

**Yukianesa is bored with Rika's school life and decides to do something to get rid of her boredom while she is at school. Being a succubus and reminding Rika of that fact, Rika is constantly being the target, the only target really, of sexual teasing by her Zanpakutou spirit. Rika is in disbelief as to why Yukianesa is showing such interest in the subject. Remember that Rika did not hear the talk concerning sexual relationships between Shinigami and Zanpakutou given to Ichigo.**

**Next chapter will be the start of the Bount Arc. Look forward to how Rika develops more as a Shinigami, how her presence might change the Bleach canon universe, and more interactions between her and Hollow Ichigo.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	28. Meeting With New 'Friends'

Just when they thought they could return to some semblence of an ordinary teenage life, Abarai Renji had to come to their school and call out Ichigo while wearing a gigai dressed like a hippy. Rika could only wonder why he was calling out Ichigo when the Substitute Shinigami badge started wailing. Fortunately, there was no-one in her class that was spiritually aware. She excused herself to the restroom where she locked her body in a cubicle and released her Shinigami form. Dispatching Hollows during school hours was mostly left to Rika unless she was in gym class, since she had no access to the substitute badge due to the change of uniforms. She and Ichigo would regularly rotate their night duties so as not to wear each other out too much.

The Hollow that had appeared was a small one that she quickly dispatched. She gave a small prayer to whatever soul was trapped inside before heading back to school with no more disturbances for the rest of the day. Late in the night when they were sleeping, Renji arrived at their bedroom window. Ichigo asked what he was doing here and he informed them of a strange reiatsu that had appeared. Without any need to be told, Rika quickly spread out her senses and gasped when she found the source.

"Nii-san! It's near Inoue-senpai!" she warned him. They quickly got out their human bodies and Shunpo-ed off towards Inoue's house. They arrived a little too late when she was sucked in through a huge ominous gate that resembled the Gates of Hell. Sado and Ishida had arrived at roughly the same time but they could only watch her disappear into the gate. Ichigo tried to destroy the gate but it vanished into black mist before he could strike. While they were stunned that one of their friends was gone, Rika focused her senses to sense if the perpetrators were still around.

She thought she had sensed something at the very edge of her detection ability. Not wanting to lose that small lead, she took off in a Shunpo, leaving the group behind. When she got to where she sensed that something, it was longer there. Ichigo appeared next to her in his own Shunpo, asking why she ran off like that. She told them she might have detected something and went to check it out but she did not find anything. Ichigo frowned and asked if she was sure it was not just her imagination. Ishida had done the same thing and he detected nothing. She insisted that she did sense something and that they already fled before Ishida could sense them. Ichigo did not look that convinced since he knew Ishida had a much better detection ability than her. Rika was a little hurt that her brother would believe Ishida over her, but she understood why he would do so.

At school the next day, no-one in Ichigo's class remembered Inoue. It was similar to the time when Rukia was brought back to Soul Society. Rika had not been called to help since she was the only one not in their class. She spent all morning in school, pondering what she could do to track the perpetrators again. The only plausible cause of action she could think of was to drop by Inoue's apartment again to search for clues. When she got home, she was told by Ichigo that they had to be there at eight later that night.

"Is it for an investigation?" she asked.

"We already did one. We had to go through a wild goose chase just to get that girl who kidnapped Inoue to give us a clue," he replied. Rika was appalled not because he had found some clues, but rather at the fact she was not included in their group when they were investigating. She was a part of their group, wasn't she? Still, she kept her cool and accepted that Ichigo had a good reason why he did not bring her along. An hour before the designated time, Rika gave an excuse that she had to get something but promised that she would be there at the apartment.

She sneaked into the family clinic and left her body inside a storeroom before going to Inoue's apartment by herself. She went inside and hid herself into the bathroom, confident that whoever the kidnapper was, she would not need to relief herself in someone else's bathroom. She waited patiently, occupying herself by speaking with Yukianesa. Ten minutes before eight, she felt foreign reiatsu emerge from within the house.

"Don't screw this up, Claude!" a girl's voice could be heard. "Don't make them suspect anything until it's too late!"

"Don't worry. I have this all under control," a man's voice this time, most likely Claude, responded. Rika quietly left the bathroom and slowly made her way to their location. There were three people there. There was a young teenage girl with short blonde hair dressed in pink with a black bird-like cape. She had two companions, a man with a two-tone hair color dressed like an Englishman and a young man wearing a dark fur coat with a hood that had a zipper on it, revealing only his eyes and a bit of red hair. The girl was very near the door and it would be simple to just grab her and hold her hostage. "I will not fail this task Urahara-san has given us," Claude said just before Rika could do what she had just thought of doing.

"Urahara-san's task, you say?" Rika spoke up, making the girl jump and scream in shock and putting the two men on guard. If that shopkeeper was involved, it was most likely a test of some sort. There was no need for her to hide any longer. "So, what is this task?" She grabbed the girl by her cape and pulled her close so she could not try to escape.

"Hey! You can't be here! We told you to come here at eight! You're cheating!" the girl yelled at her indignantly as she tried to break free. "Now you know everything! There's no point to this anymore now that you know no-one's really going to get hurt!" Rika glanced at the girl for a moment before letting her go and gently nudging her towards her teammates, feeling guilty about busting the test meant for them.

"Alright, I won't ask for any details about this task of yours and I won't tell the others about this. If this is really some sort of test by Urahara-san, I have no right to spoil it," she said. "I won't stop you."

"How do I know you're not bluffing and trying to tell the others?" she accused. It was a valid point. That was very possible, but Rika had no such intention.

"I promise you I won't. If you don't trust me, then how about this? Since I already know you don't really mean any harm, how about I lend you my aid? I'll talk to Urahara-san about this and hopefully contribute to these tests."

"Wait right there!" the girl demanded and she huddled her two companions together. After a muffled discussion, they all faced her. "Fine, we'll let you join us. But you'd better promise not to betray us until the very end of all the tests! Got it?"

"I promise," Rika gave her word. "My name is Kurosaki Rika. You are?"

"My name is Claude. It is a pleasure to meet you," Claude spoke in a manner fit for his appearance.

"Nova. Nice to meet you," the young man spoke quietly.

"I'm Ririn. You'd better not turn on us!" the girl still had a little suspicion on her face but otherwise accepted Rika's unexpected offer of alliance. Rika left them and went to her brother who had just arrived, looking like she had just arrived herself. A bright light shone from the room where Inoue was kidnapped and the group raced up the stairs to the front door only to find it locked. Inoue herself was the one who answered the door. She had apparently lost her memory of when she was kidnapped. They were seated at that very same room until the gate that sucked in Inoue yesterday appeared outside the window. Ishida warned Inoue not to stay near the window while Renji found the door locked when he tried to leave.

When a pained groan came from Sado, all eyes turned to see Inoue strangling him in a headlock. They asked what she was doing until she replied back in a man's voice. Rika recognized it as Claude but she said and did nothing other than standing up. Claude shot a suspicious look at her but eased his glare when he was sure she would not reveal anything. Surprisingly, Sado could not shake off his attacker despite the size difference. Ichigo and Renji were about to draw their Zanpakutous but Ishida stopped them, saying that it might just be her body being manipulated. Claude finally let go of Sado and transformed back into his original self and called out Nova who appeared from the roof through a black mist.

Outside, the gate reappeared and sucked in Sado after blinding everyone with a bright red light. Ichigo tried to save his friend but he was too late. That was when the girl introduced herself, sitting on top of the gate. She introduced herself as Ririn.

"Why the hell are you doing this?" Ichigo demanded fiercely.

"It's a game. A game!" Ririn answered, putting a hand to her mouth and giggling. Ichigo's eyebrow twitched irritably as he was reminded of a certain Zanpakutou spirit who had a similar attitude.

"Screwing with us..." he muttered as he got into a fighting stance, ready to draw Zangetsu. Renji targeted Nova while he targeted Claude. They moved to cleave the two in half only to miss when they disappeared just before contact. Ririn reappeared before Ichigo and gave him a finger flick to the forehead before vanishing again. She bade them goodbye and the gate vanished. Once the tension died down, Ishida was the only one to realize that the younger Kurosaki had not done anything at all. He had his own reason for not taking action, that being the loss of his Quincy powers, but she had none whatsoever to make her just stand there and stare.

"May I ask why you didn't do anything, imouto-san?" Ishida asked coolly. It was best not to jump to conclusions first. She might have a valid reason after all.

"Huh? Oh, what is it, Ishida-senpai?" Rika feigned surprise at being called. "I'm sorry, I was distracted for a moment there." Renji and Ichigo snapped their heads at her in shock. How in the world could she get distracted when Sado had clearly been abducted right in front of their eyes?

"Distracted? By what?" Renji was incredulous.

"By..." she faltered as her eyes darted towards her Zanpakutou. She made a habit of always trying not to lie, and Yukianesa was indeed involved in her 'distraction'. Granted, Rika purposely distracted herself by diving into her inner world and talking with said Zanpakutou until Ishida called her.

"By your Zanpakutou?" Ishida caught her eye movement and called her out on it. "For what reason?"

"She wanted to speak with me about something." Not a lie, even if Rika was the one who initiated the talk.

"What does she want now?" Ichigo folded his arms in frustration.

"Like I said, she had something to say which she only wanted to share with me." Technically not a lie, since Yukianesa could only talk to Rika while residing inside her inner world.

"Is it related to this?" Ishida asked again, feeling that she was avoiding the questions with vague answers.

"Yes," Rika nodded her head. Their topic was related to the kidnappings. "From what we gathered, she has a suspicion about them but no concrete evidence."

"What did she say?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tell. I've been sworn to secrecy," she bowed her head sheepishly.

"Huh? Why not?" Ichigo demanded. "Anything might help right now!"

"She doesn't trust any of you," she replied.

"What?" A tick mark appeared on Ichigo's head. "I don't care about her! I'm asking why you can't say it!"

"Relax, Ichigo," Renji kept a cool head. "When a Zanpakutou makes a request or a threat, it's always best to listen to them. They are the source of our powers. What do you think will happen if they lose trust in their own Shinigami?"

"I get that," Ichigo thought that was obvious. He would listen to whatever Zangetsu had to say anytime. "It's just that I know how her Zanpakutou behaves. She's a spoilt, arrogant little brat. She's just as annoying as that girl." He turned to face Rika. "I don't get why you have to listen to her all the time. Half the time it's something stupid, right? You're not her maid. Don't just obey whatever she says." It was not an insult, just a statement of fact, but it struck a very sensitive nerve in Rika.

"You don't know her, nii-san. Don't talk as if you do," she said coldly. "And don't tell me how to take care of her. She's not your Zanpakutou." She hopped out the window and Shunpo-ed away, feeling irrationally angry at her brother who just stared after her in stunned silence.

"You had that coming," Renji snickered. "It's never a good idea to insult someone's Zanpakutou. I know I'd hate it if anyone insulted Zabimaru. Don't you think you'd feel the same if your sister insulted Zangetsu?"

"I wasn't insulting anybody!" Ichigo protested. "I've seen her Zanpakutou spirit before, and I know Rika likes to pamper her. I was only saying the truth!"

"Maybe, but the way you said it sure sounded like you thought your sister is an incompetent Shinigami who can't even control her Zanpakutou," he shrugged. Ichigo visibly winced at that insinuation. All he did was speak his thoughts. He did not imagine Rika would be that sensitive about it. She was normally calmer than that.

With no other leads to follow, the remaining three made their way to the Kurosaki household to pick up Ichigo's empty body. He wanted to deposit his body at Urahara Shop for its safety. During that time, Rika arrived at the shack and asked for Urahara.

"Ah, Kurosaki-san! What a pleasant surprise!" the shopkeeper greeted her cheerfully. "What can I do for you this lovely night?"

"I guess I have to apologize in advance..." she looked away awkwardly.

"May I know why?" he raised his eyebrows in slight surprise.

"I kind of broke the rules set by the three of them and... I accidentally overheard that their games were actually a test from you," she admitted.

"That's really too bad, then. I was hoping all of you would play along nicely," he unfolded his fan to hide his small frown. "What are you going to do now? I hope you're not planning on telling the others, are you?"

"No, no!" she quickly denied, waving her hands in front of her frantically. "I never intended to! In my defense, I had planned to hold one of them as a hostage and bargain for Inoue-senpai's safety."

"A hostage trade, hm? That's... a very old-fashioned way of thinking, Kurosaki-san," he commented, hiding his teasing smile behind his fan.

"I-It seemed appropriate at the time!" Rika flushed, knowing from experience that she was being made fun of. "Actually, I was hoping that you could find an alternative way for me to learn the point of your test. Is it still possible?"

"I like your drive to learn, Kurosaki-san. It is quite a refreshing feeling knowing you are still willing to participate in a way that you won't find out the answers," Urahara praised. "Very well. Here's what I'll have you do..."

**Author's Note: Here's the start of the Bount Arc and the three Mod Souls make their debut. Rika will be more deeply involved with them once the Bounts appear.**

**Inoue's abduction goes according to canon, except that Rika busted them by not following their instructions and finds out that everything was a test by Urahara purely by accident. Feeling guilty and wanting to make up for it, she promises not to tell the Ichigo and the others and is willing to lend a helping hand to them. She approaches Urahara to find a way for her to learn the point of the test while still participating in it. How will her aid affect the future tests?**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	29. Time To Play The Games

When Ichigo went to Urahara Shop to deposit his body, he received a call to the shop from Ririn stating that their next destination was the Karakura Museum. If they won her game there, she might consider letting her two captives go. When they arrived, they were told via loudspeakers in the museum to leave their Zanpakutous behind in the casings provided. Of course, the casings for them were labeled purposely wrong, pissing off Renji and Ichigo. Ishida merely shook his head at them for falling for childish provocations.

The game this time was Hide-and-Seek. It was as simple as it sounded, except the hiding place was in a labyrinth with four doorways that seemed to stretch on endlessly. They were not so easily fooled and quickly suspected something amiss by doing a small test. When they backtracked to the first room they entered in, the entrance to the labyrinth was gone. Ririn mocked them by saying they would never clear it that way. Ishida caught the hidden meaning and realized it was a game with a riddle in it. All they had to do was find some sort of hint. Renji suggested busting down every wall but Ishida disagreed, saying there was no point to that. They had to operate logically or else they would lose. It was a simple strategy of minimizing the opponent's power while maximizing their own.

Ishida was prepared for this situation by bringing along Kon and having him hold a red thread that was tied to a pole, using the room they were currently in as a reference point. After moving about randomly, they eventually spotted what seemed to be an exit or at least a different room. They went in and were horrified to see Inoue and Sado imprisoned in exhibition cases. Without warning, their bodies suddenly froze up and they could not move. They found themselves similarly encased in the exhibition cases until they were smacked back to their senses by Kon. According to what he said, they had just stopped and collapsed on the spot. A few rooms later, one of the rooms was rigged to have its floor crumble under their feet and make it inaccessible. Forced to backtrack, Ishida started suspecting something was very wrong. Considering the size of the building, a labyrinth with an endless loop was impossible.

Before he could think about it further, Renji found the room that was their reference point. Feeling something was amiss, Ichigo yanked the thread at the pole, violently pulling Kon along for the ride as he retracted the thread. When he was pulled back to them, Ishida realized that they were in stuck in a Moebius Ring. No matter where they went, they would somehow end up back at the starting point. He figured out that the labyrinth was deformed and connected and they were circling the same places. Renji found it hard to believe that Ririn and her two buddies could do this but it was highly probable. For now, all they could do was to figure out the game. Ishida had drawn out a map on his notebook and noted several discrepancies, such as they never crossed a safe room three times in a straight line.

Rika observed quietly as Ririn played Hide-and-Seek with her brother. She too noticed that Ririn would only activate the 'traps' after they had successfully passed two safe rooms in a straight line. She advised her to cast the traps a little more randomly before Ishida found out it was all fake. Ririn nodded and when they passed through just one safe room, the second room had a trap instead of just the third room. Rika also told her that it was not a good idea to use the 'crumbling floor' trap.

"Why?" she asked.

"Did you forget Shinigami can walk on air in the Living World?" Rika told her. When she looked away with a tinge of pink on her cheeks, she got her answer. "I thought so. But it's okay, since you've already used it. It would be weird if that trap was suddenly gone. Besides, I don't think nii-san or Abarai-san figured that out yet. I think they forgot as well."

"Well, thank goodness you aren't on their side. Otherwise this game would have ended so much sooner," Claude sighed in relief and Nova nodded in agreement.

"I guess I can trust you," Ririn finally dropped her suspicions of Rika and listened to her suggestions. Thanks to Rika's input, Ichigo's group were thrown in a whole new loop. They had managed to completely block off a 'section' of the loop, making the group backtrack even more and loop around needlessly. It was not until the three of them went into three separate rooms did Ririn mess up. Ichigo and Renji got into an argument and had split up. Rika warned her to stop either Renji or Ichigo but she was too late and she panicked, causing Ishida to note a disturbance and discover that everything was an illusion. They easily passed the maze after that.

Ishida figured out that Nova was the one doing the space manipulation while Ririn was the one making the illusions. He also figured out that all of them were Mod Souls just like Kon. He had suspected that from the start judging from the feel of their reiatsu. Rika was hidden from their view, but even she was surprised at just how good Ishida's detection ability was. Claude came to their rescue and as promised, the three Mod Souls returned Inoue and Sado. Before disappearing into the gate for their escape, Ririn told them to go to school or else more of their friends would disappear. That last game had lasted all the way until morning.

Renji and Ichigo were surprised to see his gigai and his body lying in the middle of the school entrance. The fact that they were even there bothered them, but decided it was safer if they were in them. Ririn and Nova appeared to them again, this time to say that there was an impostor among the group. Claude was posing as one of them and they had to find him before noon struck. As leverage, the longer they took to find him, more and more of their friends would disappear. Sado suggested that they attend classes so as to not arouse suspicion among the teachers and make things more troublesome than they already were. During classes, each of them had their own suspicions as to who was the impostor but none could be sure.

They did not arrive at any conclusion until the first person was already abducted, and it was someone they knew. Terrified by the news, Inoue took off to where Tatsuki had been. Ichigo and the others followed her. Tatsuki was that first person. Inoue wept over her loss, and Ishida tried to comfort her by saying they should stay calm and think about it rationally. She immediately turned on him, accusing him of being the impostor since he did not feel any sort of loss after Tatsuki was taken away. Ichigo quickly cleared the misunderstanding by promising that he would not let Tatsuki get eliminated.

At lunch break, they gathered in Ichigo's classroom along with Renji. For some reason, he could not contact Soul Society and thus could not get any information from them. Ishida suggested that they might feel a slight unease towards the impostor on a subconscious level and they to use their intuition to guess.

"In the end, it's intuition?" Ichigo exclaimed in exasperation. "According to my intuition it's..." he looked at everyone critically before jabbing a finger at one of them. "You, Ishida!"

"Me? That can't be! Look!" he took out his sewing kit and in record time, dressed up a beat-up plush doll in a magnificent dress. "They can't possibly imitate this! If you ask me, the impostor is him!" he passed the suspicion to Renji. "He's the most distant from us and least likely to be discovered."

"Don't be ridiculous!" he denied. "At times like these, the least suspicious is always the most suspicious! That's how it goes!" he glared at Inoue.

"It's not me!" she denied as well. "If that's your reason, then I'll pass it to Sado-kun!" she pointed at him.

"It's not me," Sado also denied before turning to stare at Ichigo. "The whole reason this happened in the first place is because of you! What do you intend to do after confusing everyone, you impostor?" The result ended up being that they all suspected each other, making it a tie. Ichigo groaned in frustration as he gripped his hair.

"Dammit! Who the hell is the impostor?" he yelled. He was answered by Ririn's giggling. They turned to face the chalkboard and the girl was sitting on the teacher's podium.

"Looks like that didn't help," she said. "You're running out of time. Go on, look outside." They did as prompted and looked at where their classmates were at. As seconds passed, group by group of students disappeared. "Looks like a lot more disappeared than I thought," she commented like it was the weather as she went to stand behind them.

"You little bitch!" Ichigo growled and dived after her but she vanished above him before he could catch her.

"This isn't tag, you know," she told him. "So, how about you decide your answer now? It's not like you'll get it no matter how long you mull it over." Ichigo demanded that she keep the uninvolved people away from this but she only claimed that the rules could not be changed. "Besides, the probability of you getting it right is one out of six, so you'll just have to rely on luck."

"Six?" Ishida caught the mistaken number. They were only five of them in the room. What did she mean six?

"Oh? Isn't someone's little sister a part of the group? Am I wrong?" Ririn asked in mock puzzlement. Ichigo immediately knew who she was referring to.

"What did you do to Rika?" he yelled.

"I don't know. She may have been taken away already," she shrugged. "Or she might be the impostor. She's not with you, is she?" Ririn gave a suggestion before she disappeared again. At that moment, Rika walked into the classroom as planned. She had been standing outside since they gathered and were eavesdropping on them.

"Rika! Are you okay? Did anything happen to you?" Ichigo grabbed her shoulders, giving her a concerned look.

"I'm fine, nii-san. Did something happen?" she feigned ignorance.

"One of the six of us is an impostor, and we have to find out who before the noon strikes," Ishida filled her in, pushing up his glasses for effect.

"Do you have a plan then, Ishida-senpai?"

"...I'm afraid I don't have any at the moment," he admitted, looking away slightly from shame.

"Fill me in. I think I can give a few ideas."

"Here's what we learned..." Ishida gave all of the information they had gathered to her. She had a calculative look in her eyes as she processed them.

"I find it hard to believe but shouldn't Abarai-san be out of the suspect list? I mean you figured out that they were Mod Souls, right? Why would they hide in his gigai?" she raised a good question.

"I've brought that into calculation and it is plausible, but we cannot disregard that they might be able to mimic our abilities as well," he partially agreed with her.

"Unlikely," she disagreed with him. "When you popped the teleporting man out of his body, he was immediately revealed to be a Mod Soul. As long as Abarai-san gets out of his gigai immediately as a Shinigami, he's cleared of suspicion. Nii-san and me will be the same. If we get out of our bodies as Shinigamis, we're cleared as well. Therefore, the only people remaining with reasonable doubt is Inoue-senpai, Sado-senpai and Ishida-senpai."

"I see! I get it now!" Renji looked like he just received a message from a divine being. "That totally makes sense! You're not too bad, little sister!"

"It's not much, really," she denied modestly. "Ishida-senpai is just over-thinking about this. It's just..." she trailed off, giving Ichigo a hurt look.

"What?" he asked, disturbed at being looked that way.

"...No, nothing. Just wondering why no-one told me about this," she looked away from him before making to leave. "I need to return to class. You don't really need me around, right?"

"Not yet. You can't leave until you prove to us that you are who you say you are," Ishida stopped her from leaving, believing firmly that his own theory was correct. She sighed tiredly before pushing the substitute badge against her chest and removed her Shinigami form from her body.

"There. Is that enough proof?" she asked, holding her body up. He reluctantly nodded and she re-entered her body. "Is there anything else you need me for?"

"Not really..." Ichigo muttered. "Just be careful out there." Before she could leave, Ichigo sensed Yoruichi coming towards them and waved her over. Instead she, along with Soi Fon, dashed over and past them, breaking the classroom window in the process. Sado was unusually scared as a result and that was his mistake. He was easily pointed out as the impostor by Ichigo who knew Sado would never get that scared from something like that.

When Claude reverted back to his original gigai appearance, he was immediately threatened with bodily harm. He disappeared to on top of the school fence outside. Now Ichigo and the others had to play one last game. After all, if the big guy was the impostor, that meant Sado was still in their hands. They pondered about this all night, resting near the riverbank. Rika had mysteriously gone missing after school and could not be located. Fireworks were suddenly lit in the night sky and a piece of paper came falling towards them. It was from Ririn, and it told them to destroy a gate within 30 minutes.

A massive gate hovered in the middle of the town, clearly out-sizing all the buildings. When they got up close, it was extremely huge and the three Mod Souls were standing on its platform. When it opened a bit larger, things from the ground started being sucked in like a giant vacuum. Kon was the first person to get sucked in, blaming Ishida for not sewing him tight enough. Ririn started taunting them to admit defeat and when Ichigo refused, she showed him two items of significance: Urahara's hat and his Substitute Shinigami Badge.

Ichigo was momentarily blinded with rage. He did feel for the loss of Urahara, but it could never compare to the loss of his sister. With a furious roar, he jumped towards the gate and attempted Bankai. To his shock, he could not do it. By then, he was already in front of the gate and was sucked in along with the others.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself in a fogged wasteland. Fortunately, Renji was close by and they quickly found Ishida, Inoue and Kon. Ishida thought they landed in some sort of alternate dimension until Ririn interrupted him.

"Who knows? I'm impressed you didn't die," she told them, appearing with her two companions on top of a cliff.

"You bastards! I'll never forgive you!" Ichigo growled, remembering the loss of his sister.

"Should you really be saying that?" she asked with a smug look. The fog cleared a little behind them and revealed Sado being tied to a pole. "Now then, a special freebie for all of you who've survived this far." She raised her hand and a giant hourglass fell on top of Sado, trapping him inside. "Challenge Stage!" she announced gleefully. "For the Challenge Stage, Claude and Nova will participate too, along with a special guest!"

"We are so happy we finally have the opportunity to show you our true power. Right, Nova?" Claude asked his fellow Mod Soul.

"Huh? Yeah," Nova answered curtly, apparently not having listened to him.

"Listen, you! At least make some kind of reaction!" Claude was ticked off by his reply. "You're too calm!"

"Yeah, yeah, you're too noisy, Claude," Ririn butted in before returning her attention to Ichigo. "The time limit is... Unbelievable! A huge giveaway, five minutes! That's right, save that boy in five minutes," she told him with a wink. "Otherwise..." Sand started pouring on him. "The... End," she spoke in a very sinister tone.

"Wait a second," Renji stopped her from starting the game. "Who's this special guest?"

"Ah, you want to meet her? I guess I won't mind introducing her. It's your turn now!" Ririn called out to someone standing below the cliff.

**"Play, Yukianesa," **a very familiar voice called out a Zanpakutou's command phrase in a crystal clear tone. The fog clouding the person's identity was dispersed with a slash and it was revealed to be none other than Rika.

"Why? Why are you on their side, Rika?" Ichigo demanded in disbelief. He could not believe his eyes. Why was she there? The first thought that came to him was that she was under an illusion and led to believe that he and his friends were enemies. "Bastards! What did you do to her? Did you put her under an illusion?"

"You don't have to worry about that, nii-san. I came to them on my own free will," Rika answered for Ririn.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Why you! I thought better of you, little sister!" Renji drew his Zanpakutou, glaring at her hatefully with the betrayal of Aizen still fresh in his mind. He was in no mood to tolerate any sort of traitorous actions, especially not so soon. **"Howl, Zabimaru!"**

"It's no fun if you fight our special guest," Ririn told him. "How about brother and sister fight with each other? That looks like it will be a lot of fun!" Ichigo turned his shocked gaze at his sister who only gazed back with a steely look in her eyes. Her eyes burned with cold fury but he could tell it lacked any sort of malice. He got that she was livid with him, but what caused her to act that way? Was it an illusion, or was she honestly hurt by something he did? If so, what did he do? He did not remember doing any such thing!

"Prepare yourself, nii-san," Rika got into a basic Zanjutsu stance. "I will show you that I've changed. I will show you that I'm no longer the weak little sister that I was back in Soul Society."

**Author's Note: I pretty much skimmed through the games the Mod Souls played with minor changes to include Rika in it. They had to be included for the sake of the final game where Rika gets really involved. And her opponent chosen by Ririn is Ichigo.**

**Rika claims to have gotten stronger since Soul Society, but will Ichigo even give her the chance to prove herself? Will he even fight her? Or will he brush her aside to save Sado's life? The fight will be done in the next chapter.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	30. Game Is Over

"Wait, Rika! I don't want to fight you!" Ichigo refused to draw Zangetsu against his own sibling. He kept it wrapped in its cloth and never attacked her, only blocking and dodging. He remembered the spar he was forced into by Yoruichi during his Bankai training, and expected her to wait for him to try and get past her. However, she was eager to start a fight with him and went on the offensive for a change. Ichigo was hard pressed to defend against her blows. Her blows were only a little stronger than before but still nothing he could not handle. He did not expect her to be faster than him. During their spar back in Soul Society, he was the one who was faster than her.

Seeing more sand filling up the hourglass Sado was in, he decided to fight back just a little. Blocking one of her blows, he shoved her back with brute strength. When he thought he finally managed to get her away from him, he saw an icicle heading straight for him. Despite his non-existent sensing ability, he could immediately tell that it was weak. Very weak. He even dared to think that it was weaker than one of Ishida's arrows.

"Cut it out, Rika! I don't have time for this!" he yelled at her, smashing the icicle aside with his forearm. "GAH!" He immediately fell on one knee, clutching his arm that he just destroyed the projectile with. It felt like his arm had just been set on fire. It did not hurt but it definitely stung like hell.

Rika on the other hand was staring speechlessly at the result of her own successful attack. According to what Yukianesa had described about the basic projectile attack, it was weak but carried the property of not being able to block it barehanded. She was not expecting it to bring her brother down to his knees with just a single hit. What from she could see, the exposed skin of his arm was very red like he was just scalded. There was little to no signs of damage but he had to be in pain judging from his grimace. Was this what they called frostbite? She vaguely remembered her father talking about it when a patient had suffered something similar after falling into a lake during winter.

_"What are you doing staring at him like an idiot for? Get moving!" _Yukianesa screamed in her mind. Crap! She had inadvertently started thinking too much about the effects of her attack and forgot the situation. Saving her mental self-berating for later, she rushed the downed Ichigo and went for an overhead slash. By then she was far too late and her strike was easily blocked by a one-handed guard with an unwrapped Zangetsu. She shifted quickly to a side slash and was parried, leaving her mid-section open. Ichigo tried to disable her by slamming the pommel into her abdomen but she smoothly dodged out of the way. She went for her own mid-section attack from the slight opening he left behind. Ichigo blocked that attack and locked blades with her, engaging in a false power struggle.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you on their side?" he demanded, his eyes staring straight at hers in an attempt in intimidate her. If she faltered for even a split-second, he could shove her behind him and run straight for Sado.

"I'm not telling you!" she quickly broke off the power struggle by leaping back and threw a projectile his way. Ichigo was a little dismayed his ploy did not work, his sister knowing that he had absolute advantage in terms of brute power and quickly backing off. Despite her disadvantage of being a less experienced fighter and having a lot less strength than him, she was doing a remarkably good job at keeping the defensive and preventing him from advancing towards his friend. Granted, he was not trying his best. He did not want to cause any serious injuries to his sister. "This is my last warning, Rika! Get out of my way!"

"Make me move!" she challenged him, wordlessly daring him to attempt any power strikes. She had noticed that he was not going for them in case any got past her guard and dealt significant damage to her. When he raised Zangetsu over his head to prepare for a downward slash, she could already tell what he was going after. If he did not have a projectile technique or did not plan to use it, he had no reason to swing his Zanpakutou from a distance. It was totally obvious even if she could not sense him gathering reiatsu in his Zanpakutou. **"Koori no Ame!" **she struck out with a heavy swing, releasing many smaller icicles towards him.

**"Getsuga Tenshou!" **Ichigo yelled out his technique, swinging Zangetsu down and shooting out a bright blue crescent-shaped light from the tip of the Zanpakutou. The energy wave easily devoured the icicles but had its momentum repeatedly disrupted when they expanded into ice crystals and had to expend more of its power to destroy them. It easily overpowered Rika's technique but by the time it reached her, it was so much smaller and slower. Rika raised her Zanpakutou and blocked it even though she could easily dodge. He did not know if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he could have sworn he saw just a very small portion, almost miniscule, of the remaining Getsuga Tenshou get absorbed into Rika's Zanpakutou before it vanished.

Ichigo gritted his teeth in frustration. He did not want to hurt his sister, so he could not go all out. He knew she could easily outmaneuver him in terms of speed. That he was now sure. From what he could tell from that one exchange of their respective techniques, she was able to anticipate his more powerful attacks. While he was gathering reiatsu to fire his Getsuga Tenshou, there was absolutely no warning from Rika that she was using a big move of her own. All she did was utter the name of her technique and make a simple hard swing to fire hers. He had to launch his Getsuga Tenshou prematurely to avoid getting hit. He was at a loss, not knowing what to do to just past his sister without causing her any harm. A glance behind her and he saw that Sado's head was going to be buried in another minute or so. His mind could only come up with one solution.

Rika narrowed her eyes as she felt her brother's reiatsu start to rise rapidly.

"Bankai, huh?" she muttered under her breath. She could instinctively tell she would not be able to get anywhere close to him when he did that. His bright blue reiatsu surrounded him as he prepared for Bankai. If what she heard was right, she would not have to do anything to disable him.

"Ban-!" Before he could finish the word, his gathered reiatsu collapsed. His Bankai had failed to activate twice now.

"Is something wrong, nii-san? Time's almost up," Rika mentioned, looking back at the nearly buried Sado. "Abarai-san isn't making much progress either. If you keep this up, you won't be able to rescue him."

"Rika, come back here. It's time for the last attack!" Ririn called, having recalled Claude and Nova back to her side. Renji was wounded from attacks by his own Zanpakutou after having them redirected by Nova's wormholes. Rika sealed Yukianesa as she hopped back to the three Mod Souls. Ririn raised her hand and a red ball of light appeared in the air to suck everything into it.

"Use Bankai! It's the only way!" Renji yelled at Ichigo. Ichigo charged up his reiatsu but Bankai eluded him yet again. Suddenly, the hourglass surrounding Sado cracked and broke, and the ball of light vanished on its own. After everything settled down, they ran up to Sado to check if he was unharmed. He was unharmed, and the ropes tied to him had already been loosened and he stood up without any trouble.

"So what happened when you were caught?" Ichigo asked.

"There was tea," he replied after a second of thought.

"See! See, I told you!" Orihime was happy that what she had told them earlier on was the truth. "I knew there was tea!" Ichigo gazed around the area for any suspicious activity and spotted Urahara's hat along with his Shinigami Badge. Seeing the two objects made him sigh in relief with a smirk. He went over to the items and picked them up before calling out Urahara.

"I get it. So that's the deal," he mused to himself. "Get out here. I know you're there, Urahara-san. You're the one who put this all together!" That earned gasps of surprise of the group. Even Inoue and Sado had no idea he was behind the entire thing, only that the Mod Souls had meant no real harm to them when they were kidnapped. The fog cleared a little more in front of them, revealing the three Mod Souls with Rika standing behind them. Applause could be heard as Urahara stepped out from behind the pole Sado was tied to.

"Gosh, you found me out," he praised them. "When did you realize?"

"Just now, when I saw your hat and my badge on the ground," he answered.

"See Ririn, I told you you were overdoing it," he gently chided the female Mod Soul.

"He's got better intuition than I thought," she giggled.

"Thinking back, you had any number of chances to finish us off. But you didn't and only tried to overwhelm us. Of course it's strange. You didn't harm Chad either, did you?"

"Yup. We played shogi together," Ririn replied.

"I couldn't even win once," Sado mentioned.

"So, why'd you do this?" Ichigo asked with a disgruntled face. "And Rika. Since when were you involved in this?"

"Ever since Inoue-senpai was kidnapped," she answered.

"Kurosaki-imouto-san, what do you think is the reason I did this?" Urahara redirected Ichigo's question to her as he reclaimed his hat. "You were supposed to be with your brother throughout all this but we had to make some changes to accommodate your unexpected actions early on. What is your answer?"

"All of this were games, and many senses are used when playing. From what I can gleam, it was to bring across physical strength, intellect and teamwork," she gave her deduction.

"You got half the points," Urahara said. "Along with what you've just mentioned, it was also to cultivate the sense to adapt to changes and decision-making. The desire to help one's comrades also heightens. And above all, it's a good opportunity to look back at oneself."

"To look back at oneself?" Ichigo repeated.

"None of you believed in Kurosaki-imouto-san, am I right?" Urahara bluntly accused, his usual smile gone for the moment.

"What? Of course I believe in my own sister!" Ichigo felt pretty insulted that he was accused of such a thing. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Don't mistake trust with belief, Kurosaki-san. Before I sent all of you to Soul Society, the task I had assigned to your sister was to keep you in line. She offered to watch your back whenever possible. You trusted her to do so, but you never actually believed she could do it, did you?"

"That's..." Ichigo tried to come up with an excuse but fell silent. It was true he never really thought Rika was up to the task of guarding his flank. He believed that he had to watch both himself and his sister. He was not sure she was strong enough to even be his support.

"Truthfully, we know next to nothing about Kurosaki's sister," Ishida admitted, shifting his glasses with his finger. "But it is as you said, Urahara-san. We can trust her, but we can't necessarily believe in her."

"Then why do you believe in Abarai-san?" Urahara countered. "He was initially an enemy to you compared to Kurosaki-imouto-san who has always been a steadfast ally from the start. Why do you believe in him more than her?"

"Well, it is kind of hard when we hardly talk with each other..." Inoue mumbled sheepishly.

"That's actually my fault," Ichigo admitted. "I didn't allow her to actively meet me at school. It was already bad enough for her just from my reputation. I didn't want to make it worse for her."

"Well then, Kurosaki-san. Would you mind telling us why you don't believe in your sister?"

"Frankly speaking, I don't know what Rika can do. I don't know what her Zanpakutou abilities are, and she's not as strong as Chad and me. The only thing I know is that her Zanpakutou is a spoilt brat."

"Those aren't reasons, Kurosaki-san. They're excuses," Urahara pointed out. "Did it ever occur to you to ask her about her abilities?"

"No, but..."

"Did you know that your sister spotted the flaw in your Bankai the moment you tried it for a test run?" Ichigo shot a surprised look at Rika. If she knew about it, why didn't she tell him? It would have certainly helped back then. "She never told you because she didn't want to stop your momentum and wound your pride. She believed that you would defeat Kuchiki Byakuya before that flaw hindered you too much. That is belief. The only reason you kept her close was because you wanted to be around to protect her, not because you actually believed she would be of help to you."

"It hurts, you know," Rika spoke up. "The others I can understand that it will take a while for them to believe in me. But when nii-san doesn't even believe in me, it really hurts. I thought you knew how it felt when you told me how much it hurt you when you thought I didn't believe in you. So why can't you believe in me? It is because I'm too weak?"

"No need to rush to settle this, Kurosaki-imouto-san. You should take your time with these matters," Urahara stopped them before things detoriated further. "And another thing, Kurosaki-san. You're no longer able to use Bankai anymore, am I right?" That surprised everyone in Ichigo's group.

"Is that true?" Renji exclaimed. Ichigo could only hang his head in disappointment. Urahara proceeded to explain that he was not a Shinigami, but a substitute. He may have been able to use Bankai in Soul Society but after returning to the Living World, it did not come as easily. Above all, he could not afford to think that if things got bad, he still had Bankai. With all of these factors, it was totally natural he could not use it. He told Rika to remember his advice if she ever did obtain her Bankai.

The games now put aside, Urahara asked if they knew Yoruichi and the other Shinigamis were investigating something. Ichigo mentioned that they saw Yoruichi and Soi Fon rushing off somewhere earlier that afternoon. Urahara did not know the details but he was sure an unfavorable phenomenon was occurring. Soul Society had temporarily shut down traffic to the Living World to make investigations easier. Renji asked if it was related to Aizen's betrayal which he answered with a firm no. The Hogyoku that Aizen took required a year of maturation before it could start to show its effectiveness. It was unlikely he would make a move so soon. Admittedly, they were not strong enough right now.

"Kurosaki-san..." Urahara got on one knee to show his sincerity. "The Hogyoku incident cannot be left as it is now. Please regain your ability to use Bankai. Please lend me your strength."

"Yeah. Alri-"

"Is that so? I'm so glad!" Urahara had already gotten to his feet and smiling very joyfully.

"Wha-?" Ichigo sweatdropped at the sudden change of mood.

"What insincere begging..." Ishida muttered.

"Therefore Kurosaki-san, let's get to cultivating situational analysis and decision-making!" Urahara suggested. "You get taken advantage too much by opponents whose abilities you don't know. Your bout with your sister was one such case. Despite having so much of an upper hand over your less experienced sister, you still failed to even get past her."

"That doesn't count! I didn't want to hurt her!" Ichigo protested.

"After fighting with Zangetsu during your Bankai training, are you saying that you can't find a way to maneuver around your sister without hurting her?" he shot back skeptically.

"Well that's..." he trailed off.

"Were you even using your head at all? When it came down to it, Ishida-san, who had completely lost his powers, and your sister, who is currently little more than an out-of-the-mill substitute Shinigami with inadequate fighting experience, were superior on that point." Ichigo turned his head to look at Ishida with slight concern. "Right, Ishida-san?"

Ishida remained silent for quite a while before confirming that he did lose his Quincy powers in Soul Society. The others immediately surrounded him and asked why he didn't tell them. Ichigo reprimanded him by saying that by concealing that fact, he could have put everyone in danger. It was not that it was dangerous because he did not have powers. Fighting in a team meant that they could use all kinds of power. His power had played a role this time, and no-one could really know whether they would be useful unless they tried. If they could not trust their own friend's power, they could not fight.

"What a hypocrite," a girl's voice said snarkily after the jingling of bells was heard. Yukianesa was not happy as she appeared next to Rika. "I hate people like you."

"Yukianesa?" Rika questioned her Zanpakutou's motives.

"People like him are the worst! He spouts teamwork and trust yet he doesn't believe in you, Master! I know for a fact he doesn't trust me! And the only person he trusts in explicitly is his own Zanpakutou!" Yukianesa was fuming with genuine anger, clearly identifiable from her usual outbursts.

"What...?" Ichigo hissed at the implication that he was nothing more than a sweet talker that did not back up his words.

"Let's put it this way, Master. If we use a game setting, an RPG for example, Mr. Idiot would be the front line attacker with great power and speed. Sado would be the tanker, bearing strong endurance but without much speed. Ishida would be the support, with long-range attacks and high speed along with a strong sensing ability. Inoue would be the healer, no questions asked. What about you, Master? What place do you belong in the party?" she asked. "You can't be in the front lines, since you don't have much power. You can't be a tanker even though you prefer a defensive stance since you don't have as much endurance as either your brother or Sado. You can't be support since you don't exactly specialize in long-range combat. Even your sensing ability doesn't match up with Ishida. And you obviously can't be a healer. So where do you belong?"

"Don't screw around with me! Are you accusing us for considering Rika useless?" Ichigo yelled furiously.

"I never said she was useless. I'm saying that in your so-called group, she doesn't have a place in it. You clearly don't trust me which pretty much means you don't believe in your sister. That's why I'm calling you a hypocrite. How can there be teamwork when there is no trust? What's the point of teamwork if you doubt your teammate's credibility?"

"Rika is and will always be a teammate along with the rest of us! Even though I hate your guts, you too!"

"...How unsightly. Are you that much in denial, or are you trying to save face?" Yukianesa shot him a disgusted look. "Forget it. Don't answer that. I'm sick of you anyway." She returned back to Rika's inner world to vent her anger out in the snow plains. Before Rika could even say anything, Urahara placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure the both of you can find a way to solve this problem. Why don't we head back upstairs and have some dinner? Tessai-san should have prepared some delicious things for us," he invited everyone for dinner.

"Wait... What about the destroyed town?" Ichigo asked.

"You don't actually think we'd do that, do you?" Ririn giggled cheekily. "That was an illusion too."

"Then where are our classmates?"

"Right about now, they should be waking up near the mountainside."

"You little..." Before he could scold the Mod Soul, he was interrupted by a call for Urahara from Yoruichi who came from the shop upstairs. She had to speak to all of them. When Urahara asked what it was about, she gave the grim news that a Bount had showed itself.

**Author's Note: The two never really fought that hard since Ichigo does not want to hurt Rika and Rika was under instructions to only stop him from reaching Sado. When Urahara reveals himself and explains the point of all the games, Rika's presence adds another topic to the explanation. It is concerning the group's lack of belief in Rika. Urahara makes it clear that trust and belief are two different things. He chides Ichigo for it and tells the siblings to settle their differences in their own time.**

**However, Yukianesa does not let it drop that easily and antagonizes Ichigo after he speaks to Ishida. She accuses him of being hypocritical, saying that he considers her and Rika part of the group when he does not even trust the Zanpakutou spirit and in turn does not believe in Rika.**

**Here's an update on Rika's Icicle Shot. ****Upon successful contact, the affected area suffers frostbite. Just like Yukianesa says, it does very little damage. It does cause severe stinging on the affected area, easily throwing off the opponent's concentration and focus. That is the reason why it is 'unblockable' by body. Rika discovers this by accident after Ichigo smacks it away with his forearm.**

**The next chapter will officially introduce the Bounts. Look forward to more action and gradual shifts in the Bleach universe.**

**Once again, I give another great shoutout of thanks to all those who Favorite this fanfic and those who leave behind reviews. So thank you very much! If anyone has any questions for me, feel free to give a PM and I will answer to the best of my ability.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	31. Encounter With A Fiery Bount

Everyone gathered around the round table with the Kurosaki siblings back in their bodies and Renji in his gigai. They all stared at each other uncomfortably as they waited for Yoruichi to describe the Bounts. Urahara started off the topic by holding up a test tube filled with pink liquid. A small glowing green ball was floating inside it. He said it was the spirit particles of a Bount.

"So what the hell is that Bount thing?" Ichigo asked. Urahara tilted his head to Yoruichi who nodded in response, as though he was asking for permission to say something. Back when he was the captain of the 12th Division and head of the Research and Development Institute, he had seen spirit particles that closely resembled the one in the test tube. These mysterious particles caused a reaction with elements only found in human souls. As he investigated further, he found evidence of the existence of a race of beings called Bount.

"Race?" Ishida noted the particular use of the word.

"Their numbers are small, but like the Quincy, the Bount are humans possessing specialized abilities," Urahara described. "Quincies have the power to destroy Hollows, which bring disaster upon themselves. Bounts absorb human souls and use them as food. Quincies live and die like regular humans, but by consuming human souls, Bounts can live on forever. I found out that much, but I never got to see one directly."

"Live _forever?" _Ichigo asked skeptically, not believing that part at all.

"Yes. Bounts suck human souls for food and attain eternal life. That is the kind of race they are."

"They sound really close to how vampires are described," Rika spoke her thoughts.

"Depending on the time and place, they are considered as such."

"However, a Bount's normal way is to take a dead human's soul in the process of Konso. And yet, this time..." Yoruichi trailed off, remembering her encounter with a Bount that tried to suck a living human's soul and retelling it.

"And I assume those humans die?" Rika had a disturbed look on her face as she asked. Despite knowing what would happen after death, talking about it still made her feel uncomfortable. "If their souls get eaten then..."

"That's right," Urahara confirmed. "It's the same as having their life taken. All that's left is death." Yoruichi mentioned that they still were not sure if it was a Bount. She asked Urahara if he had any trails but he was not too sure himself. They crossed their arms and started thinking in a relaxed pose which got Ichigo riled up. He slammed a hand down on the table, demanding why they were acting that way. At the rate they were going, there could be casualties.

"That's Kurosaki-san for you! Your sense of justice is strong, isn't it?" Urahara flipped open his fan while praising him.

"Cut the sarcasm..." he muttered.

"Well then, in the meantime... Ririn, you go with the Kurosaki siblings," he told the female Mod Soul.

"Eh...? I don't wanna!" she whined, causing Rika to giggle in fondness. Yukianesa tended to act the same way whenever she felt particularly stubborn though she was a bit more vocal than Ririn.

"Inoue-san and Sado-san, I'll also assign you two support," Urahara added.

"Support?" Inoue asked.

"To these three Mod Souls, I've added a spirit particle sensor function. They can catch spirit particle wavelengths," he explained their role as support. "The enemy is after humans souls, and you four are particularly powerful humans. In their eyes, you're tasty prey. We can't be sure you won't catch their eye. You should find out the enemy's whereabouts quickly."

"I see," Ishida quickly caught onto Urahara's plans before he remembered something. "What about me? Don't I get support?"

"Uh, well, just as I explained..."

"Ishida, you don't have powers," Ririn reminded him. That fact hit him like a sledgehammer, causing him to hang his head in despair and Ichigo to try and comfort his distraught friend. Urahara went on to assign Claude to Inoue and Nova to Sado. "No choice, I guess," Ririn relented. "But don't impose on me too much."

"What'd you say?" Ichigo exclaimed. "We're the ones who it's an imposition on!"

"We're counting on you, Ririn-chan," Rika did the exact opposite and welcomed her with open arms.

"What?" he was taken aback by her positive response.

"Nii-san, you should be glad we have her with us. After all, you couldn't do anything against their attacks."

"Geh..."

"Just like she said. I think we'll get along really well, Rika!" Ririn was practically glowing with dominance.

"Damn you..." Ichigo cursed under his breath. "Why does Rika have to be so giving to girls like her..." Naturally, he made the connection between the similarities of the Mod Soul's behavior to a certain Zanpakutou spirit's own. In Rika's case, she found that kind of behavior really cute so she had no trouble looking past Ririn's arrogant front to see that she really was a sweet girl. She had a lot of practice with Yukianesa, after all.

"Oh, and I'm sure you know, but make sure to hide yourselves in plush toys most of the time," Urahara reminded the trio.

"Plush toys?" Claude seemed shocked by it.

"Seriously?" Ririn looked extremely turned off by the suggestion.

"Um, Urahara-san, can I make a request?" Rika raised her hand.

"This isn't school, Kurosaki-imouto-san. You don't have to raise your hand for permission," Urahara chuckled in amusement, making her drop her hand and flush in embarrassment. It just felt right for her to do so. "Your request is?"

"If it's okay, can I use Ririn-chan like a regular Gikongan?"

"Well, certainly," he easily agreed to her request. "Oh yes, come to think of it, you don't have any way to turn yourself into a Shinigami if your brother has the badge. Don't you have Kon to help you with this?" The moment he finished that sentence, he was blasted with two murderous intents from the siblings. Kon was about to rejoice at the shopkeeper's suggestion but quickly quieted down when he too felt the murderous intents. He did not want to die just yet. It was every guy's dream, including male Mod Souls, to be in control of a girl's body, but living was still infinitely better than dying. After all, there was no afterlife for Mod Souls like him.

"If that was a joke it's a very terrible one, Urahara-san," Rika told him, somehow sounding very scary even though her tone was polite and courteous as usual when addressing the shopkeeper. Ichigo said nothing but if looks could destroy, Urahara would be nothing but mush right then. How dare he even suggest that she use Kon as a replacement soul! He would gladly vaporize Kon if he ever got control of his sister's body. Even he did not like Kon controlling his body unnecessarily. Their personalities were so far apart anyone who knew him could differentiate between them instantly.

"I apologize for my mishap..." he cowered under the force. When it disappeared, he let out a big sigh of relief. "Yes, you can use Ririn like a regular Gikongan but you must give her a plush body first as these three are modified to only accept one other body. If you swallow her pill before doing so, she'll be stuck in pill form unless in her own gigai or in your body."

"I get it already. I still need a plush body, right?" Ririn sighed miserably before shooting a stern look at Rika. "You'd better compensate me well Rika, or I won't forgive you!"

"Yes, yes," Rika agreed easily with a bright smile, dismissing the empty threat.

"Don't consent to it just like that!" Ichigo snapped. "It's your body!"

"I'm sure Ririn-chan will be careful when in it," she said with complete confidence.

"Your worries are unneeded. The least I can do is take good care of my compensation," Ririn replied.

"You'd better, or else you won't get away with it so easily," Ichigo threatened before relenting to his sister's decision. When they got back home and started unearthing whatever plush toys they still kept around the house, Ririn decided she hated all of them.

"No way! No way, no way, no way!" she started raising a racket.

"Say that all you want, but the only leftover plushes we have left are old ones from when Yuzu and Karin are very little," Ichigo tried to explain.

"No way!" Ririn threw a plush toy she was holding right in his face.

"Ow! What're you doing, you..." his ranting was quickly interrupted.

"First of all, I can't forgive you for trying to shut me inside one of these raggedy, loser dolls!" she pointed to each and every doll strewn on the floor. "If you don't take this seriously, I'll tell Kisuke-san on you!"

"Rika, you settle this. You were the one who welcomed her," Ichigo passed the mantle to her.

"Then, Ririn-chan, what preferences do you have?" Rika asked. "We might have something that suits you." As Ririn started listing them out, it became obvious to Rika that she wanted something that looked exactly like her gigai. Ichigo grew annoyed and tossed a random doll at her. In her surprise, she stumbled backwards and accidentally stepped on his Substitute Badge. Her pill form was forced out and entered the doll that was tossed at her. It was a bird in a blue hoodie with a red bow and blue boots.

After moping for a short while, she exploded in anger and started ranting at how she could not change forms again and that she would be stuck with that doll forever. Kon started making fun of her until she snapped and kicked him in the face, telling him to watch his words as she was in a very bad mood. After half an hour of waiting, Ririn detected a Bount. It was far from their home but another person might be in danger. They both used the badge to pop out their Shinigami forms and raced to catch the Bount with Ririn hitching a ride on Rika's shoulder.

They managed to catch the Bount, a woman, trying to suck the soul out of another woman. She asked what a Shinigami wanted to do with her. Ichigo took the lead and told her that they could not stand by and allow her to devour a living human's soul. She begged them not to get in her way which immediately caused Rika to suspect all was not what it seemed. Ichigo, being the more active sibling, was not allowing her that luxury and moved in to attack. The Bount threw the woman she was holding to him, stopping his advance. The second he took his eyes of her to catch the woman, the Bount had escaped. Ririn told him not to worry about the woman as she was only unconscious. They quickly gave chase after putting her safely aside.

"Rika, you go ahead and cut her off! We'll get her from two places!" Ichigo told her, getting ready for a Shunpo.

"We can't do that, nii-san! If the Bounts are anything like the Quincy, if she fights back, the town will be in danger!" she told him. "Let's just tail her and hopefully she corners herself in an isolated area."

"Got it," he agreed with her plan and simply chased her. True to Rika's guess, the woman did end up in a dead end in an isolated area. Now boxed in, Ichigo pointed an unwrapped Zangetsu at her and demanded for her story and what her goal was. The woman shot back by saying that their heads would never be able to comprehend her goal and that they were being a bother. Bother or not, Ichigo told her that they were not going away until she gave a satisfying explanation. She sighed in regret, lamenting the fact that she had to fight when she did not want to. The siblings saw her actions clearly and Rika quickly took the initiative before a fight could break out.

"Please wait! Please tell us your situation! If possible, I too do not wish to fight!" Rika tried to convince her for a peaceful talk. Alas, her efforts were for naught.

"I can tell you're a good girl. If you were alone, I might have considered your offer. Unfortunately, the boy seems eager for a fight. After all, his sword is drawn," she shook her head in resigned refusal, straightening herself in preparation for combat.

_'Oh no! Nii-san has...' _Just that small action had cost them the chance for a peaceful talk with the Bount. It was not his fault at all; he was just being prepared in case she resisted. The woman raised her left hand, revealing a single metal claw over her middle finger.

**"Reveal yourself, Goethe!" **she spoke a phrase and a name in German, striking her claw with the bracelet she wore on her right wrist. Fire was lit much like a matchstick, a small flame hovering on her metal claw. She moved her hand over her head in a circular motion, spreading out the fire and causing small embers to land in front of her. Those embers quickly raged into a huge inferno, separating her from the siblings.

"Flames?" Ichigo stated.

"Be careful, those are no ordinary flames," Ririn cautioned. From that wall of flames, a being vaguely resembling a genie rose from ground. It had a dark brown body with glowing orange lines all over its frame. Fire could clearly be seen travelling through those lines. Despite having no mouth, it exhaled a small fire from where it would be located as though letting out a breath. The siblings leaped back in caution, wary of any signs of attack from the creature. Now that they had a better view further away, the creature had jet propulsions of fire for legs.

"What is this guy?" Ichigo asked the question in both their minds.

"How do you like my Doll?" the woman asked casually now that she had the advantage.

"Doll?"

"Yoshi, you called me?" the creature spoke, identifying itself as male.

"Goethe, please. They are being pushy, especially that guy!" the woman pointed towards them.

"These two? They're pushy?" the creature was clearly angered that his partner was troubled by them. He tensed one arm, and a fireball was quickly conjured in his hand.

"Nii-san!" Rika warned her brother.

"I know!" he was already preparing to dodge. They split up in two places, with the Doll aiming for Ichigo though Rika had the vague feeling that he was watching her warily as well. She took this chance to carefully think about the Doll. It was likely to be immune to cutting force, having been made from fire. Ichigo was quick to prove her right by slashing off the Doll's arm only to have it reattach itself.

"It went back to normal..." Ririn was getting nervous.

"As I thought," Rika said calmly, her Zanpakutou already drawn in a defensive stance.

"How do you know that will happen?" she asked.

"I just know," she mumbled, not really wanting to say what brought her theory up. As valid as it was, it was from an out-of-place source and embarrassing to admit.

_"Wow, talk about something from a video game," _Yukianesa commented cheekily, sensing her wielder's discomfort. _"A Fire Elemental, was it? Well, it is true that Elementals are very hard to harm using pure physical force."_

"Why do you know that?" Rika hissed under her breath, her cheeks turning red at having her source found out. It was definitely embarrassing to admit that a video game was the source of information even if it applied quite well to the situation.

_"Call it a gamer's instinct. A gamer's blood will respond to any sort of implied game!" _she replied proudly. Rika sweatdropped, wondering just what a gamer's blood was. She quickly returned her attention back to the fight between the Doll and Ichigo before she got too distracted. She just managed to hear the woman stating that no matter how many times he was cut, he would return back to normal. They had no chance of winning. Ichigo was persistent on attacking the Doll and true to her words, his attacks were ineffective. She felt bad for letting him do all the fighting when he was clearly at a disadvantage, but she needed to find a weakness for him.

"Nii-san, you can't win by fighting like that! Can't you tell you cannot cut it?" Rika yelled to her brother.

"Dammit... Then where do I cut it?" he did not get the point.

"You should listen to your sister, boy," the woman taunted. "It's useless no matter how you cut or where."

"That can't be true," he refused to admit. "There has to be some way to cut it!" As they exchanged a few more blows, Rika noticed something off about the small exchange. The Doll's punch was actually deflected by the flat side of Zangetsu. Did that mean that it was immune to cutting force, but not blunt force? Before she could tell him about it, Ichigo had come up with his own conclusion and decided that the lines that overlapped where the human heart was located was the weak point. He stabbed it and the Doll groaned in pain before breaking down into tiny pieces of itself. Ichigo leaped back and joined Rika who was looking increasingly worried for some reason. "Alright, the fatal spot was the heart after all!"

"No, it wasn't!" Rika moved in front of him, Yukianesa released and raised. There was just no way a being immune to slashes would not be immune to stabs! Just what was he thinking? She had a very bad feeling about that Doll breaking down into pieces.

"What are you talking about? We did it! Look at it!" he was clearly happy about his 'victory'.

"Rika, be careful!" Ririn cried before being shoved off her shoulder and into Ichigo's hands.

"What's going on?" Ichigo wondered, only now feeling alarmed. He looked past Rika's shoulder and saw the pieces of the Doll shooting forward like miniature meteorites.

**"Koori no Ame!" **Rika called out her attack in desperation, shooting forward countless icicles that impacted against the fireballs and exploding into ice crystals that served as a defensive wall.

_"What are you doing? You haven't stored any reiatsu yet! Are you trying to get us killed?" _Yukianesa screeched in her mind in absolute worry.

"I can't just let nii-san and Ririn-chan get hurt. If nii-san is careless, I just have to cover his mistakes," she replied, not once regretting the consequence of her rash action. Her attack proved good enough to halt all of the fireballs and keep her brother safe.

"All right! Good going, Rika!" Ichigo cheered for her. His good mood immediately disappeared when Rika collapsed on all fours and her reiatsu was suddenly gone. All gone. "Hey, Rika! What's wrong? What happened?" Rika could not respond to him, her windpipes feeling like they were clogged and her lungs were burning with imaginary lack of oxygen. She was heaving in as much air as she could, but her body just did not feel like she was breathing at all. Her chest felt so tight like someone was trying to squeeze the life out of her. "Your reiatsu! Where did your reiatsu go?"

"You're not a very good brother if you had to have your sister cover you like that. Look at her. I almost pity the poor girl," the woman shook her head in slight disgust. Her reiatsu had been all used up in that one move to protect her brother and now she was suffering the aftereffects of whatever her technique had. "Goethe, finish them!"

"Finish them?" he repeated as he rebuilt his body from the scattered pieces. "Okay." He started gathering a huge amount of flames in front of him as Ichigo tried to help Rika up. She tried to stand on her own but the sheer breathlessness she was suffering caused her to fall forward again, one hand gripping her chest tightly in a vain attempt to ease the pain.

"Hang in there, Rika!" Ichigo slung her arm over his shoulders as he tried to Shunpo away. He was just too little too late as the Doll threw the humongous flame at them, almost like a laser. He did not have sufficient time to gather the necessary reiatsu in his legs for Shunpo. As he threw himself over his very vulnerable sister to protect her, a bolt of lightning shot down from the night sky, dispersing the fire laser. Ichigo looked back and saw a very familiar figure standing proudly with her back turned on him.

"What are you doing? You imbeciles!" she yelled at them furiously for their abysmal performance. She turned around and confirmed her identiy as Kuchiki Rukia, leaving Ichigo stunned at her arrival.

**Author's Note: There are quite a number of changes in this scene but the outcome does not change.**

**Rukia still ends up saving the day even though Ichigo did not get hit and end up trapped under metal pipes. Rika protects him from Goethe's counterattack by using her Koori no Ame without any prior absorption. As a result, she suffers total reiatsu loss for the first time, the most fatal drawback of Yukianesa.**

**Rika has gotten Ririn as her very own Mod Soul with permission from Urahara. There will be changed scenes in the future since Ichigo and Rika no longer have to struggle with the Substitute Badge.**

**Rika will have more action in the Bount Arc compared to the Soul Society Arc. Back then, she knew next to nothing about how to fight as a Shinigami. Now that she has gotten more experience, she won't be as useless as she once was.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	32. The Suffocating Aftermath

"Have you gotten so dull, Ichigo?" Rukia chided, sparing a backwards glance at him. Before he could come up with a reply, the Doll attacked again. He quickly picked up Rika and leaped away to safety, unable to fight back without letting her go.

"Once more!" the Bount ordered. "Defeat those guys!"

"Defeat them?" the Doll repeated the order. "I understand." The jet propulsions serving as legs flared up as even more flames were emitted from them as it raised its arms over its head, creating a fireball a lot bigger than any it had unleashed so far.

"What? This thing's power is..." Rukia eyed it cautiously, not showing a hint of worry. When the fireball got even bigger, Rukia prepared a Kidou and waited for the opportune moment to fire, only to realize a split-second later that it was no good against a fireball that big. Just as the Doll was about to throw it at them, it suddenly vanished when snakes wrapped around its body before turning into dented metal pipes.

"You can't do that, Yoshino-san," a man dressed in smart clothes walked towards the woman. "Going out on your own like this?"

"Are you a Bount as well?" Ichigo demanded. "What was that just now?"

"You're noisy, aren't you?" the man turned to him, a snake rising and hissing in front of him.

"Ichigo, be careful!" Ririn warned as the snake slithered down the man's body from his neck.

"Now, let's go home," the man told the woman now recognized as Yoshino. When she tried to strike her claw against her bracelet to reignite her Doll, the man called out the name Fried. The snake shot out and instantly had wrapped around Yoshino's wrists before she could ignite new flames. "Disobeying us is unforgivable," he told her as the snake stared at her threateningly. She tried to bring her arms apart but could not break free from the snake's hold. "You had better not disobey me. My Doll Fried is just a little short-tempered."

"H-Hey! Aren't you guys companions?" Ichigo interrupted them.

"And here I was just saying that he's noisy," the man turned his attention to Ichigo once more. "It makes my head hurt!" The snake's eyes glowed red and a metal pipe nearby morphed itself into a similar snake before shooting towards Ichigo. He dodged it cleanly, or he thought he did, when a small gash appeared on Rika's cheek. Cursing himself for his mishap, he took a more defensive stance, better prepared to evade. He was surprised to see that the snake was actually a metal pipe when he looked back.

"What's going on?" he questioned, looking at the man. "What are the Bount's abilities?"

"That's rude," he commented. "After all, nobility and swine never associate." With a call for his Doll, he made his escape with Yoshino held captive. Ichigo nearly called him back but knew enough that with Rika out for the count, he would be at a disadvantage if he fought now. With the Bounts gone, the flames left behind from missed shots disappeared into thin air, leaving no trail of smoke.

"What was that?" Rukia asked, coming up beside him.

"I don't understand them myself," he replied. The sound of someone falling caught their attention and it was Inoue and Sado. Whatever good mood they had at seeing Rukia once again was quickly wrapped up when Rika coughed and hacked, her breaths hitching very unnaturally. Now that attention was on the younger Kurosaki, Rukia immediately detected what was wrong.

"What happened to her? Why is all her reiatsu gone?" she demanded an answer from the older sibling, unaware that he himself had asked the very same questions to his sister who was in no condition to answer.

"I don't know!" he snapped.

"Let's go back to Urahara-san's place! I'm sure he can help!" Inoue suggested. Everyone agreed and quickly ran for the wooden shack. Along the way, Rukia spotted Ririn hanging onto Ichigo's shoulder and asked in shock at what the lame-looking stuffed animal was. Ririn took offense to that and said that it was not her fault and it was not something she normally did. Besides having to support Ichigo and having no choice about the matter, she also served as Rika's Mod Soul. Rukia asked what the support was and Ichigo told her they were given by Urahara so that they could be on the lookout for the Bounts. Claude and Nova were introduced as well, with the former being called cute since he was in a bunny purse and Rukia loved rabbits. The light-hearted banter stopped when the shack was in sight.

"Urahara-san! Urahara-san!" Ichigo barged into the shop, carrying a severely weakened Rika in his arms. She was not hurt besides that little scratch on her cheek, but her reiatsu was... She also looked like she was choking on thin air, a heavy sheet of sweat matting her entire face as she struggled to breathe.

"Is something the matter, Kurosaki-san?" Urahara asked nonchalantly even as he looked over the younger Kurosaki discreetly. "What happened to your sister?"

"I need your help! We met the Bount Yoruichi-san was talking about and we fought. Rika fired her attack and right after she collapsed into this state!" Ichigo was nearly hysterical. "It's like she can't breathe and her reiatsu's all gone! I can't sense even a single bit of it!"

Urahara narrowed his eyes as even he struggled to find even the smallest emission of reiatsu. When he did manage to sense it, he nearly let out a sigh of relief. "It's still there, Kurosaki-san. But it is just barely enough for her to remain as a Shinigami. If she lost any more reiatsu than she already did, she would have been reduced to a powerless soul." Ichigo was half-relieved and half-horrified by her condition.

"Can you heal her?" he nearly pleaded.

"I'll do whatever I can," Urahara promised. "Put her in the back. Tessai-san and I will handle the rest." They treated her behind closed doors as Ichigo and his friends waited anxiously for good results. It took forty minutes before the two ex-Shinigami emerged.

"How is she?" Ichigo practically got in Urahara's face.

"Your sister's reiatsu has been restored to a safe level and her condition stabilized. She will be fine after a few days of rest," he gave the good news before his face turned serious. "But first of all, I would like to know what happened that caused her to lose this much reiatsu."

"She did the same attack that let her block my Getsuga Tenshou during your game," Ichigo reiterated.

"That's all?" Urahara prompted for more after a few seconds of silence.

"Yeah, that's it." A thought then clicked in Ichigo's mind. "Is it possible that she used up all her reiatsu in that one attack?"

"Unlikely," Urahara shook his head. "During your fight with Kuchiki Byakuya, you put everything you could into that last attack. But were you reduced to the state your sister was in?"

"No..." he shook his head slowly.

"Even if you could bring an attack up to its maximum power limit, it would never drain you to that extent unless you forced yourself to do so. Even then, your body will subconsciously limit how much reiatsu you can push into your attack to prevent you from collapsing afterwards," he explained. "Either your sister was already very low in reiatsu when she did that, or her attack drains a fixed amount of reiatsu whenever it is used."

"Impossible!" Ichigo refused to acknowledge either of his theories. "Rika was perfectly fine when we chased that Bount, I'm sure of it! And she did not show any sign of wearing out when she used it during the game! She should have recovered whatever reiatsu she used during the time we spent resting!"

"And that's even more proof that you don't know anything about your sister," a girl's voice laced with fury spat from where Rika was resting.

"You..." Ichigo muttered as Yukianesa came out from the room. The rest of the group besides Inoue wondered who the girl was.

"It's all your fault Master is in this state! If you weren't so arrogant and stupid, things wouldn't have turned out this way!" she screamed at him. "She can't throw around her attacks like you do with your Getsuga Tenshou!"

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Ichigo's own temper flared.

"She can't throw out a huge technique like that right from the start! She's not like you! Don't treat her the same way you treat yourself!"

"Would you like to explain to us then?" Urahara momentarily stopped the argument by getting her attention.

"Your second guess is right. My attacks drain a fixed amount of reiatsu. That attack she used drains up 100% of her reiatsu. That's why she collapsed," she told them.

"What? That's insane! Why do you need that much reiatsu? You're robbing her of her own power!" Ichigo accused. The first thing that came to his mind was that it was the Zanpakutou's fault.

"Shut up! You don't know anything! You don't understand anything! So shut up!" Yukianesa yelled at him, her anger rapidly peaking. "I'm not like that brooding old man inside your soul! The both of you... no, not Zangetsu, _you_ can perish for all I care!"

"Oh yeah? I would rather you sleep forever! If not for you, Rika wouldn't be involved in all this mess!"

"It was you who woke me up in the first place with your berserking reiatsu! If you weren't Master's brother, I would kill you right here and now!"

"Good idea! I can protect Rika from more dangers by killing you instead! With you gone, she won't need to go Shinigami any more!"

"That is enough out of the both of you," Urahara placed his arm in between the both of them, his face dead serious. "The both of you have your reasons for hating each other, but the course of action ultimately lies with Kurosaki-imouto-san. Neither of you, nor anyone else, has the right to make the actions for her. She has been improving herself gradually, and she has never once complained about her Zanpakutou. It would be unwise if you continue to be at each other's throats, especially if you intend to go through with your death threats."

"I'm going home," Yukianesa huffed and vanished with a pull of her cape.

"That girl is... your sister's Zanpakutou spirit?" Rukia correctly identified Yukianesa.

"Yeah," Ichigo grunted. "Irritable little snot. Rika likes to pamper that brat."

"Then she has Bankai?"

"She doesn't. Rika didn't go through with the training. The spirit stopped her from doing it." Rukia nodded in acceptance, and brought up the topic about the Bounts. Ichigo noted that even though they had the means to detect them, peaceful talks were very unlikely to happen. Attacking them was of similar concern. Rukia noted that their problem was mainly the Bount's techniques. Claude added that they were able to tell what powers the enemy had, just like the Mod Souls could. Ichigo agreed that he was unable to harm the fire monster with his Zanpakutou at all and that they did not know what the other guy's abilities were.

"Rika had a plan all sorted out for you before she collapsed, you know," Ririn spoke up.

"What? Why didn't she say anything?" Ichigo snapped his head to look at the Mod Soul standing on the round table.

"She did! You were the one not listening to her!" she snapped. "Didn't Kisuke-san always say to stay calm and collected while in battle? Carefully observe the opponent and find their weakness. You didn't do any of these things!"

"I did observe the guy! I thought the heart was the weak spot!" he defended himself.

"And didn't you hear Rika say that it wasn't? Are you a blockhead?"

"You little..." Ichigo caught himself before he lost his temper again. "What did she mean to say?"

"How should I know? You messed up and she collapsed in an effort to protect you before she could tell you anything." Ichigo grimaced at that memory, but did not refute it. Inoue brought the topic back on track after a moment of silence. They could not leave them alone or there might be another victim. Ichigo replied that they just had to find a way to fight against them. He turned to Rukia and asked if Soul Society had anything about the Bounts. Rukia was confused, and he reminded her of the timing of her arrival. She remembered it, but her superiors did not tell her anything about the situation when they sent her.

Renji soon joined up with them after his own search but contributed nothing as he and Ichigo got into an argument over something trivial. With their discussion over for the night, everyone went their separate ways to prepare for tomorrow. Rukia borrowed Ichigo's closet as usual. They had to sneak Rika in through the window to avoid panicking the rest of the family.

Before Ichigo went to sleep, he watched over her for a little while, lamenting and regretting his actions during the fight. She was fitting in better as his support, and she paid the price for covering his mistake. He was not blind or stupid; he knew his sister was getting stronger. As a brother, he was proud of his little sister but at the same time distressed over her improvement. He just did not want to accept the fact that Rika was beginning to keep up with him. He wanted to always be the one on top so he could protect all his sisters. With his Bankai inaccessible for reasons unknown to him, Rika was quickly climbing her way to the top and perhaps already overtaken him for the moment. She ended up protecting him from his own carelessness. It was a cruel irony to him. First their mother, now her. The only consolation was that Rika was still alive.

"Never again... Never again...!" he swore as he clutched his sister's hand in his own, pressing his forehead on them. "I swear I will never make this kind of mistake ever again!"

**Author's Note: This chapter covers what happens after the fight with Yoshino. Rika has collapsed and is suffering the aftereffects of total reiatsu loss. Instead of the playground, they gather at Urahara's shop to get her treatment and to discuss their future plans with the Bounts.**

**After Yukianesa reveals the cause of Rika's collapse, Ichigo immediately blames her for it. She argues that he does not understand or know anything about them. Rika has quietly accepted the severe consequences of her rash actions in the last chapter, so Yukianesa feels justified in not taking the blame. In her point of view, it was Ichigo's carelessness that forced Rika to end up that way.**

**In case anyone is wondering, Urahara and Tessai did not find Ichigo's Hollow mask under Rika's shihakushou. That is because they had no reason to strip her. She had no injuries besides the little scratch on her cheek so there was no need to check the rest of her body. If they had to check, Urahara has enough decency to ask Yoruichi to handle it.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	33. Metal Combat

During the few days Rika had to spend bedridden, Ichigo and the others already had various encounters with several Bounts. The Bount named Yoshino, had been killed by the leader of the Bounts, a man named Kariya Jin. The remains of her power were used to create soul-sucking bugs. According to what Kariya said, Yoshino was the sole member of the Bounts that had the ability to reproduce and that ability was necessary to create them.

When Rika was fully recovered, the bugs had already attacked several humans and sucked their souls. She rejoined Ichigo in searching for the Bounts so they could stop the harvesting of souls. Along with Rukia and Ririn in plush form, they ran around town trying to locate either the Bitto or the Bounts. Along the way, they met up with Jinta and Ururu who claimed they were there to deliver an item to Ichigo. It was the headgear that the siblings saw during Ichigo's lesson to regain his reiryoku. It was supposedly a more powerful sensor than the ones the Mod Souls had.

"He said this was a rush job so it's not the best," Ururu briefly explained.

"He also said that it will only work for fifteen minutes after you turn it on," Jinta added. "And to top it off, you have to use the pass phrase."

"What is it?" Rika asked.

"Your brother knows it. He said it once before."

"Don't tell me it's..."

"Yeah, it's that."

"Oh no..." she groaned in absolute sympathy for her brother. Ichigo had caught the drift and stared at the protective gear in his hands accusingly.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Say it," Rukia told him impatiently.

"...Here goes," he put the headband on. His face was totally red with embarrassment as he screamed with all the dignity he could spare. "Take this, Power of Righteousness! The Righteous Armor, Justice Headband! Equip!"

"I can't believe you can actually say those embarrassing lines," Rukia deadpanned with a sweatdrop.

"Shut up!" he hissed, utterly humiliated. Rika was just as red as him, deliberately looking away from him. It must have been just as humiliating for her to be seen around him right now. Before he could follow up with his rant, the bulb on the headgear started flashing before forcefully making Ichigo run in a beeline straight to where it sensed a Bount. Of course, that ignored any obstacles in the way and thus he had run straight into a metal fence before he vaulted himself over and the headbead forced him to move forward again. Rika easily kept up using Shunpo.

When the headband finally stopped pulling Ichigo around, there were near a construction site with plenty of metal beams lying around. One of Ichigo's friends, Keigo, was a victim of the Bitto and was nearly killed if not for his timely arrival. A Bount was indeed there, introducing himself as Koga Gowa and pretty soon a fight broke out between Ichigo and him after he refused to answer Ichigo's question about what he did to Keigo.

"Rika, I'll handle this!" he told her while the Bount revealed his Doll, a steel spider with a human's torso. And judging from its voice, it was female and had a flirtatious attitude. It appeared Ichigo had faced this Doll before and seemed confused about something.

"Are you sure?" Rika asked, knowing that if her brother wanted to fight, he would not back down. Trying to convince him otherwise was near useless. If he required her assistance, she would gladly give it.

"Yeah. Let me know if you learn anything. I'll listen." He would not disregard her observations this time. From their previous encounter with a Bount, he learned that Rika was sharper at catching hints and better at observing than him. Of course, he would make his own observations and see if he found anything different or similar to what she found. "I'll leave Keigo to you."

"Of course. Good luck, nii-san," she wished and carried Keigo to safety while still able to observe the upcoming fight. "Ririn-chan, go support my brother." Ririn obediently followed the order, knowing it was no time for arguments.

"Aw... And I was so looking forward to a threesome," the Doll, Dalk, spoke in mock disappointment. The sexual innuendo did not faze Ichigo at all, but it had effect on Rika. She flushed red as she tried to kick out the forming dirty images in her mind. She was already the victim of many innuendos from her own Zanpakutou spirit. She did not need another flirt around her, especially when one such flirt was bonded to her.

The first attack came from Dalk, firing a metal ball akin to a cannon. Ichigo's hands were mildly numbed just from blocking it. She then declared that she would show him what her new body was capable of. The metal ball that had crashed to the ground after he blocked separated into countless metal pellets that fired upwards at him. He managed to block those that would have hit him. While he was distracted by them, she had moved in front of him and slashed downwards with her front scythe-like arms. Ichigo Shunpo-ed upwards to dodge but was immediately fired upon with more metal pellets. One managed to get past his guard and impacted against the side of his head, tearing off the headgear and making him return to the ground with a bleeding head. Ichigo noted that she was faster than before. Ririn also noticed her attacks were heavier and harder.

"Use Shunpo more, nii-san!" Rika called out, correctly identifying that while the Doll's attack were fast, the Doll itself was not. Not to say it was slow, but it could not compare to Shunpo. She was not able to reveal to the Doll and her Bount the weakness that she spotted in case they did not already know about it. He took her advice and fared just a little better, except Dalk could respond when he had to slow down to get a clear shot. Ichigo was clearly at the disadvantage but Rika could not afford to butt in. His friend was unconscious and needed her to watch over him.

"Your bad habit is that you play with our prey," Koga told his Doll with a smirk.

"Is that so? When in a life-or-death battle, you should let the prey feel ultimate pain and fear. If you don't do this, then they will die without what it feels like. Isn't that a tragedy?" Dalk replied.

"Now you've said it!" Ichigo got back to his feet with a confident smile, taking her comments as a taunt to goad him and would respond in kind. "Talking about me like I'm some kind of weakling."

"That's a man for you!" Dalk raised her bottom to fire a metal web-like substance from the end. She raised herself up to one of the metal beams and converted its metal to her own metal. Both Ichigo and Rika noticed that. "Accept my feelings!" she fired several metal spikes at Rika and Keigo. Rika was quick to pick him up and Shunpo away to another location. Ichigo was pissed at the Doll's actions. How dare she attack Rika and Keigo who were not involved in their fight!

"Don't mess with them! Your fight is with me!" he yelled at her. Keigo regained consciousness for just a few seconds to call out to Ichigo. Koga mentioned that since he was able to see him in Shinigami form, that meant most of his soul had been sucked out and could no longer be saved. Ichigo refused to believe him, determined to bring Keigo home and alive. He then changed the topic to why they were using those strange bugs to collect souls.

"You saw it just now, didn't you? This is my power after absorbing the souls the Bitto have collected. We aspire to gain ultimate power to achieve our goals," Koga told him. Keigo called out to Ichigo one last time to tell him to get out of there before slipping back into darkness. Fearful that he might lose his friend, Ichigo flared out his reiatsu in a mixture of grief and anger. Dalk fired the metal spikes at him, and he retaliated by pouring all the reiatsu he could into a Getsuga Tenshou that sliced her human torso from her spider body and destroying part of the surroundings she was on. Getting a short reprieve, he turned his attention to Keigo until Rika cried out to watch out behind him. He turned back only to have Zangetsu entangled by metal wires.

"You're pretty good, but that won't do," Dalk gave him a small praise. Koga rose from the rubble that fell on him, looking unharmed. He agreed that it was a good attack but it did not work against them. Dalk proceeded to entangle Ichigo by changing her other limbs into the metal wire and started squeezing him. When he popped like a balloon and emitted a blinding flash of light, he and his small group was gone. It was all an illusion by Ririn to help them escape. Ichigo refused, saying that if he ran, he would not be able to protect anybody. Because of his refusal, they were found by Koga and his Doll.

"I won't forgive you if you try to escape in the middle of the battle," Dalk purred as she spun her metallic web from her spider body. Rika managed to get away from being trapped but Ichigo did not have the same luck. Trapped in the middle, he shot another Getsuga Tenshou at Dalk. He missed, but that was not the main problem. Zangetsu had inadvertantly touched some of the other web lines and was stuck. The metal web had the same sticky substance like a normal web would, except a lot stronger. He tried pulling his Zanpakutou free but during his struggle, he failed to realize Dalk had manipulated the web to stick to him.

Realizing he was in danger, Rika quickly released Yukianesa. She already knew that physical force was not going to work and needed her ice element in play. She shot an icicle at Dalk who saw it coming and easily dodged out of the way. That was enough for Rika to throw another icicle at the web encircling Ichigo, freezing a small section and allowing her to cut it down safely.

"Very clever, girl. But not good enough," Dalk taunted, extending the web to trap Rika inside as well. Having better proficiency in Shunpo than her brother, she easily moved out of the way. Unfortunately, she ended up further away from Ichigo. She could not Shunpo in unless she wanted to stick herself to the web and get beaten to a pulp. She could not risk another Koori no Ame right now. Yukianesa had barely absorbed any reiatsu. "I'll play with you later, girl. For now, I think I'll beat down on the boy over there."

She started smacking Ichigo around with her limbs morphed into iron whips. With him held down by the web, he had no choice but to take the blows. After a few minutes of the beatings, he was hanging by his arms limply, his shihakushou torn in several places and body bleeding. Rika was struggling to get closer but Dalk was careful with how she extended the web to prevent her advance. The Doll had discovered that the frozen metal could not respond to her will. Despite that minor setback, with all the metal around her, she had practically infinite amounts to work with.

"Why you...!" Rika was getting frustrated at her lack of progress. As much reiatsu as she was absorbing, she was not getting any closer to her brother. At one random strike, she felt Yukianesa suddenly disperse reiatsu like a fountain into the atmosphere.

_"Very good, Master. You've finally managed to hit the limit of my absorption," _Yukianesa sounded really proud at the moment, very much like a master would to her student. _"As a reward, I'll tell you what my dispersing reiatsu means."_

"That is?" Rika almost demanded impatiently.

_"What's with that tone?" _Yukianesa accused childishly before letting it go. She knew her wielder was desperate. _"I'll let it go this time. This state is called Overflow. As the name implies, I have absorbed reiatsu that totals two times your own maximum reiatsu. To make room for more absorption, I am dispersing some of it away. But this is not a disadvantage, not at all. During this period of dispersion, reiatsu cost is nulled! This is the reward for absorbing this much."_

"So that means...?" Rika was feeling very hopeful, and her Zanpakutou did not disappoint.

_"Minor attacks are free, and you have up to two chances to use a major technique with no cost depending on how quickly you move during Overflow. I will take 90 seconds to finish dispersing and go back to having 100% absorbed reiatsu. A major technique will eat up 45 seconds, so you have two chances. Of course, you only have one charge if 45 seconds already pass. Don't worry too much about how much time left it takes for me to finish. You can still use a major technique at no cost even if Overflow is down to the last second. I will still retain the 100% remaining. There are certain things that can be done only during Overflow, but that is a matter for another time."_

"Alright! Thank you so much, Yukianesa!" Rika was deeply grateful to her Zanpakutou for allowing her to use another of her abilities. This was a very big help!

_"O-Of course!" _Yukianesa was embarrassed and secretly crooning from the gratitude. _"The only thing you should watch out for during Overflow is..." _she giggled mischievously. _"Can you keep track of the 90 second bonus while fighting without losing focus or getting distracted?"_

"I'll worry about that when the time comes!" Rika declared. **"Koori no Ame!" **she shot her only available major technique, spreading out the shots with a very wide slash and freezing a huge area of the web. She easily cut down the frozen web and rushed towards Ichigo. "Once more! **Koori no Ame!" **With the second shot, Rika was finally within reach of her brother.

"You're too late, girl!" Dalk had Zangetsu in her grip and was preparing to impale him with his own weapon. She dived towards him, tip first. Rika was not worried because she knew she could make it in time. And though she did, she was pushed away harshly by Ichigo who stopped the Doll's charge with one hand gripping Zangetsu's blade without his palm getting slashed. He had somehow broken free from the web and tossed Dalk away while reclaiming his Zanpakutou. Rika felt the shift in her brother's reiatsu and could not help but smile.

"What's this?" Dalk asked in surprise at having been suddenly pushed back.

"This is..." Koga had noted the change in Ichigo's reiatsu along with the clearly malicious feel of it.

**"Don't call me 'This'. IDIOT!" **Ichigo raised his head to reveal a partial mask covering the left side of his face. His whites were now black and his eyes were now gold instead of brown. He pulled Zangetsu by the cloth and spun it around in circles before slamming the tip into the ground, releasing minor waves of the Getsuga Tenshou light.

"Who are you?" Koga asked.

**"Who am I? Don't ask such stupid questions! I'm me!" **Hollow Ichigo answered without giving a name.

"Do you know who he is?" he asked Rika instead.

"He's my other brother. A split personality of sorts," she gave him a more satisfactory answer.

"I thought he was just a Shinigami, but..."

**"That 'just' part must be for Ichigo. I'm not as naive as that Ichigo," **Hollow Ichigo replied this time. **"Though I'd like to say we aren't connected, it would be a pain for me if he died. I'm going to crush you!"**

"Oh my. Can you really do it, I wonder?" Dalk thought it was an attempt for a taunt.

**"You wanna give it a try?"**

"Of course!" Dalk shot four spears to impale Hollow Ichigo. He was very quick to react, immediately Shunpo-ing out of the way and getting in her face in an instant.

"F-Fast!" Rika could clearly see the difference in speed. It was even faster than her own! And the fact that he had no start-up like Ichigo only served to prove how different he was from him. She could still see him, but doubted she could match or react to that speed.

**"Too slow!" **he taunted as he drove Zangetsu almost up to the grip into Dalk. It looked quite effective as the Doll screeched in pain as she was dragged outside the construction site by him. **"Don't think I'm the same as Ichigo! He's nothing more than a burden to me!" **Rika followed him outside and saw him yanking Zangetsu out of the Doll from the side, violently tearing her human torso from her spider body. Only this time, she could not regenerate and vanished after breaking down into tiny metal orbs.

"Onii-san! Is it over?" Rika stood fearlessly besides her possessed brother as he laughed like an insane maniac. His laughter creeped her out but she chalked it up as one of his habits.

**"Don't be stupid like Ichigo here, Rika-chan! It ain't over till he dies!" **he pointed Zangetsu at Koga.

"Right!" she took her stance. And then out of nowhere, Hollow Ichigo froze in place. His left hand shot up to his mask and tried to pull it off.

**"You bastard! Again? Are you going to get in my way again?" **he snarled to the body's original owner.

"Onii-san?" Rika noticed his weird behavior. She had seen this once before.

**"You're so weak! Don't kick me out now! I'm really strong!" **he tried to maintain control as he staggered backwards. **"Don't you get it?" **Rika then realized what was going on. Ichigo was trying to reclaim his body and when he did, he ended up on his last legs. She could not afford to let that happen. If he was down, she would end up having to guard two people. Ichigo might be able to hold for a little longer but it was unlikely he could keep going for long after expending that much reiatsu to kick out his other self.

_'Forgive me for doing this, nii-san... But we really need onii-san's strength right now...' _she apologized silently as she put her hand on Hollow Ichigo's shoulders. He was in too much pain to notice her. Just as Ichigo's reiatsu flared, it was being forcefully suppressed. Hollow Ichigo turned his confused eyes as he just noticed her by his side. Her eyebrows were furrowed in concentration as she forced his reiatsu to remain dormant. Once she was satisfied, she removed her hand and let out a weary sigh. She spent quite a huge amount of reiatsu to exert control over her brother's reiatsu and force it to recede. It was similar to the cannonball training where she would direct his reiatsu for him. "Nii-san should be quiet for a while longer, but we must hurry and finish this. Otherwise..."

**"I get it. Don't be such a killjoy," **Hollow Ichigo smirked at her.

"S-Sorry!" she hastily apologized. "T-Then, shall we do this?"

**"Looks like I owe you one, Rika-chan. Ichigo's so weak yet he thinks he can win someone he can't even scratch. Isn't that pathetic?"**

"That's so rude. You shouldn't say such things about nii-san," she scolded him gently, not wanting to go too far and end up angering him.

**"It's true, though. You're going to deny that?" **his cocky smirk never left his face, daring her to challenge him.

"W-Well, I suppose since you're stronger, maybe you feel that way..." she tried to opt for neutrality, her face tinged red from her flustering. In her mind, she felt like slamming her head against a wall for being so fidgety in front of Hollow Ichigo. He was her brother, wasn't he? Why was she acting like he was a completely different person? Well, technically he was since he was a split personality who just happened to be a Hollow but... Gah! She was overthinking about silly matters again! Now was not the time for such idle thoughts! They had a fight to finish!

**"What are you spacing out for? We're in the middle of a fight!" **Hollow Ichigo brought her back into the real world.

"I'm sorry! It's just..."

**"Save it for later. Let's finish this guy, Rika-chan!"**

"Of course!" she got back into her stance as Koga resummoned his Doll for the second round.

Inside his inner world, Ichigo was stunned and shocked that Rika of all people would suppress him and allow his Hollow to retain control of his body. She had infused a lot of her reiatsu into his own and he was finding it hard to reclaim control of it. He had to expel hers first.

_'Why, Rika? Why would you keep that guy out there! He's dangerous! Don't get fooled by him!' _he screamed internally as he slowly but surely regained control of his reiatsu. He just hoped he was not too late to save his sister from his inner Hollow. There was no way in hell he would let his Hollow twirl Rika around his fingers any longer!

**Author's Note: This scene is pretty much canon with minor changes to include Rika until Ichigo gets caught in Dalk's web. Rika unlocks another ability of Yukianesa and Hollow Ichigo shows his face once again.**

**Overflow**

**Description: When Yukianesa has absorbed reiatsu totalling two times that of Rika's maximum reiatsu, she enters this state. In this state, she is releasing the absorbed reiatsu to make room for more absorption. It takes 90 seconds to finish dispersing before returning to 100% absorbed reiatsu. During that 90 seconds, all minor abilities are cost-free and major techniques such as the Koori no Ame are free in exchange for 45 seconds or part thereof if less than that time is remaining. Spirit has hinted to having other abilities that have Overflow as a requirement.**

**Hollow Ichigo has appeared according to canon but things change because of Rika. She suppresses Ichigo's reiatsu just when he was about to regain control of his body, locking him inside his inner world for a longer period of time. Rika does this not because she wants to defy her brother or to let Hollow Ichigo free, but because she sees a reasonable need to have the latter's strength around. Ichigo thinks otherwise, believing that she is being manipulated by his inner Hollow. How will this affect events in the future? Find out in the next chapter!**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	34. Hollowfic Victory, Bountiful Preparation

"Dalk, no more playing around," Koga told his Doll sternly. "The boy has become dangerous."

"You don't need to tell me," Dalk replied, dropping all intentions to continue playing with her prey. Now, the prey had potentially become the predator. If a mere stab could damage her that badly compared to a technique, she knew something was very off.

**"Hah! You think you can do any better than before?" **Hollow Ichigo scoffed arrogantly. These losers could never even hope to get the better of him. Not unlike that weakling Ichigo. He did wonder if Rika would fare better against that metallic contraption. Probably not, considering her wussy excuse of a fighting style. Then again, it did serve her quite well. Amused, he decided a little fun was in order. **"You'd better not hold me down, Rika-chan! We bring the fight to them!"**

"Eh?" Rika was startled. He wanted her to go on the offensive? That was so out of her comfort zone! Even if he was not the dominant personality, surely even he knew that!

**"Don't 'Eh?' me! You've got 'onii-san' around, don't you? With me on your side, you still insist on acting like a cornered mouse?" **he pressured her into seeing things his way.

"Well, offense is sometimes the best defense..." she muttered. While being on the offensive was against her fighting style, she did admit it had its merits, especially when your power clearly exceeded your opponent's.

**"You actually get it, Rika-chan! Not like that brainless idiot Ichigo!" **he praised her, though his echo-ish voice made it sound like he was mocking her. **"Show me what you can do!"**

"Right!" Against her better wishes, Rika decided to obey her wayward other brother. She supposed it would not hurt. He was there to guard her. After all, he did bring her to safety when he fought against Kuchiki Byakuya. Conjouring her ice element, the blade of Yukianesa began to emit an icy mist. Dalk fired that cannonball that she first used against Ichigo. Rika easily side-stepped with a small burst of Shunpo while Hollow Ichigo batted the ball away with absolute ease, an insane grin on his face.

Rika went for an overhead swing which was blocked and quickly shifted in a side swing which was blocked as well. Catching sight of an attacking limb, she guarded against it and adjusted her stance just enough for the limb to slide down her blade. The momentum of her attack slowed but not stopped, Dalk had trouble recovering from her attack as Rika moved to hack off two of her arms. She countered by shooting a metal spear from her spider body into her abdomen. She managed to block just in time to avoid being impaled but was still thrown back from the force.

**"Heh, not bad for a start. But surely that's not all you've got," **Hollow Ichigo said.

"No, not yet!" Rika could still go on.

**"That's the way, Rika-chan. Your attacks are pretty pathetic but hey! You actually did some damage!" **he was somehow able to mock and praise her at the same time. Surprised to hear she actually damaged the Doll, she saw that Dalk was struggling to move one side of her body which was covered with slight frost. **"You wanna try again, Rika-chan? How about I be your back-up this time?"**

"I'm counting on you, onii-san!" she felt really confident knowing her attacks were causing damage even when blocked by the Doll. She charged forward again and was fired upon by metal pellets. "You won't get me with that!" she said and Shunpo-ed out of the way, steadily closing in on Dalk. When she got in striking range, something told her to move. She listened to that something and Shunpo-ed upwards, and realized why. Hollow Ichigo had thrown Zangetsu like a spear, nearly impaling Dalk again but she blocked at the very last second, being slammed into a wall instead.

**"You read me well, Rika-chan!" **he praised her but she was not happy.

"That was dangerous, onii-san! What if I was hit as well?" she yelled from the air she was standing on.

**"You really believe I would let that happen?" **he challenged her with his maniacal smirk again. Rika felt her face flame up as she fidgeted again, unable to meet his gaze. He was really starting to enjoy watching her squirm from his ambiguous questions. He did not particularly care for her answer.

"W-Well... No... but..."

**"Listen to what this tells you," **he pointed to his chest where the heart was located. Immediately knowing what he was referring to, she realized that the mask she carried as a lucky charm was the one that 'told' her to move. Was he using it as a means to communicate with her silently? Seeing Dalk getting out of the caved-in wall, both their attention returned to her. **"Let's go wild, Rika-chan!" **he laughed like a crazy lunatic as he joined the battle.

Inside Ichigo's inner world, Ichigo watched helplessly as he painstakingly removed Rika's influence on his reiatsu. His control was nowhere close to his sister's, and the progress was slow. Zangetsu was nowhere to be found even when he called for the spirit, and he could do nothing except watch how Rika and his inner Hollow fought against Dalk with perfect symphony. He watched as Rika used her defensive habits even while on the offensive, blocking and then immediately flitting out of the way, often causing Dalk to overextend and give his inner Hollow a very clear shot and taking off a piece of her each time he swung his Zanpakutou. Rika was surprisingly good at feints, often leaving behind false openings and counter the Doll's counter or have the opening covered by his inner Hollow.

_'Why? Why is she fighting so well with him? She never fights that well with me!' _Ichigo growled in his mind with slight envy, conveniently forgetting that he and Rika had never once really fought together. It was always him ordering her to stay back. _'This is bad! I've got to get out of here! If Rika gets too close to him...' _He quickly shook that negative thought away. He did not want to know what would happen if she got too close. By the time he totally freed his reiatsu from her influence, Dalk was very badly mangled with frost all over her body. Koga hastily recalled his Doll and retreated, but not without cautioning Rika not to let her 'first brother' lose control of that power, referring to his inner Hollow. His inner Hollow scoffed in dismissal, saying that Ichigo had never once even had control over him.

In the real world, Rika was talking excitedly with Hollow Ichigo who merely entertained himself with his sharp-tongued responses and seeing her reactions to them. He constantly taunted her over her 'eyesore of an offensive', which caused her to feel indignant about it and saying that she felt she did not do that badly for her first time being totally on the offensive. He did leave some advice by telling her to get more physical strength before someone came along and utterly decimated her defensive style with more power than she could handle. Still, the way he said it was definitely not friendly, calling her a little kicked puppy who could only bite back, and even her bite was equivalent to munching on a chew toy. Why chew when it was so much better to tear off a muscle of two? She took a while to decipher the hidden meaning in his words and promised that she would take it to heart.

When Hollow Ichigo began to lose control of the body, Rika told him that she looked forward to seeing him again. Despite the pain, he managed to give her a smirk before Ichigo overwhelmed him and tossed him back into the inner world. Rika helped him up and he gave her a look that demanded an explanation over what she did.

"Nii-san, I had a good reason for that," she tried to explain. "If you went down after kicking out onii-san, both you and Keigo-senpai would have been in even more danger. Please understand."

"So you think I'm weak?" he sounded extremely offended.

"No, of course not!" she quickly denied. "But you nearly died against that Doll. I had no choice. I didn't think I could take the Doll while looking out for both of you."

"I don't want his help!" he raised his voice to try and drive in his point. "I can take down that Doll alone!"

"Perhaps, but we _needed_ onii-san's help. Without him, we might not even still be alive. Even if you hate him, don't you at least feel a little bit grateful for him giving his aid?" Rika looked at him disapprovingly.

"I already told you he only did it to save his own life! I don't need to thank him for that kind of help!" Before Rika could reply, he silenced her by grabbing her shoulders. "Please, Rika. Don't get any closer to my Hollow. Don't listen to him. He's not me. He's a part of me that I loathe. He's not your brother. He's not a part of our family. Don't refer to him as such. Please!" To his shock, Rika shoved him away harshly and looked at him with hurt and upset eyes.

"Nii-san... What happened to you...? Since when were you this... heartless? Don't you even recognize the fact that without him, you might have died against Kuchiki Byakuya? I don't know what happened between the two of you, but to warrant this type of hatred... It's not like you. You never hated anyone this much before. Why now?" Ichigo nearly flinched from the amount of hurt he could hear in her voice.

"Rika... I..." he had no words to say. He did not know why he hated his inner Hollow. He just did. Even if the short possession of his body might have allowed him to survive and defeat Byakuya, he just refused to accept his role in it. And it was not like his Hollow threatened to devour his soul or anything like that. So far it was just him plainly mocking about how weak he was compared to the Hollow. Was this hatred actually... fear? Fear of his inner Hollow? Because he was stronger than him? He did not know what to think, only knowing that he hated him to the core of his being.

"I don't know why you think your Hollow is such a bad person. He helped to save us, twice now. He actually encouraged me to get stronger... But nii-san, you... never once saw me as capable. All you ever did was hide me behind you. Don't you realize that I had no choice in this? I had to become a Shinigami or else I would have died. Now that I have powers like you, I also want to protect otou-san, Karin-chan and Yuzu-chan. Why can't you let me get stronger so I can protect them just like you?"

"It's not like that!" he shouted, trying to chase away the headache that was coming. "I just... don't want you to get hurt. That one attack you took might have killed you if you had been any less alert! Aizen nearly killed you! I just don't want to lose you. You understand, don't you?"

"Then please... Help me get stronger so I don't die so easily." She gazed into his eyes, seeing the conflict between letting her get stronger and stopping her in fear of her getting hurt. Luckily, or unluckily, another Shinigami came to them. They recognized him as the Lieutenant of the 3rd Division, Kira Izuru. He asked if they were alright and if the Bount had escaped. Now that they were in the clear, Ichigo picked up Keigo and told them he was heading to Urahara's Shop for help.

Along the way, Ichigo started stumbling from his injuries and the reiatsu he spent driving away his inner Hollow. Kira offered to carry Keigo for him but he refused. He was his friend and he felt responsible for what happened to him. Kira sympathized with him but told him that he could understand what he was going through. He had lost someone irreplaceable to him. Rika suspected that he had been close to one of the traitorous captains. He reminded them that he was not an enemy, and that their common enemy was the Bounts and that he was not as cruel as he looked. Ichigo smiled and relented, giving Keigo for Kira to carry.

Rika smiled bitterly, extremely displeased at the blatant hypocrisy her brother was showing. Kira did indeed look quite brooding on the outside but seemed to be rather kind-hearted. Her brother's Hollow behaved like a deranged bloodthirsty lunatic and loved to look down on others weaker than him, but she believed he was really not all that bad. She believed it was merely his self-confidence which others would portray as extreme arrogance. She could not understand why her brother would only look one way and not the other. It did not help that Yukianesa was proudly proclaiming that she told her so in her head.

When they arrived at the shack, Ichigo finally collapsed from his wounds and exhaustion. Surprisingly, Hanatarou was also present and he was busy treating the fallen Renji and a civilian boy. His normal meek demeanor was gone and was replaced with the attitude of a medical professional. Rika could not help but be impressed at how diligently he worked at treating the injuries of his patients. During the free time the ryoka had in Soul Society after Aizen had turned traitor, she admired how the 4th Division worked so hard to keep any and all Shinigami healthy. It turned out that Rika was one of the few Shinigamis outside of the 4th Division that actually understood the importance of medical care. Living in a clinic did have its benefits. As such, she was very well-liked by the 4th Division. Majority of the other Shinigamis only accepted their presence as a necessity but never truly understanding them. The 11th Division utterly despised them but at the same time very afraid of their captain.

While Rika knew zilch about kidou, she knew how to properly apply a gauze and wrap bandages around wounds. She even ended up correcting some of the members-in-training who were learning basic first-aid. According to the lieutenant, everyone had to learn basic first-aid before moving on to kidou-based healing. She even joked that if Rika made it to Soul Society after her human lifespan was over, she would be very welcome in the 4th Division. Rika modestly denied the offer, stating that it was an honor but she had no plans to die early.

By the time dawn arrived, Hanatarou had healed all of his patients and the others had returned the previous night. The civilian boy however, could not be completely healed. His soul was rapidly getting weaker, and the only thing that could save him was his own will to live. Renji was feeling guilty about the boy's condition but Ichigo got him back on track by telling him that they had to concentrate on fighting the Bounts and to leave the treatment to Hanatarou. When everyone was about to leave, Urahara asked to speak to the Kurosaki siblings alone.

"The Bounts are stronger than I thought," he spoke up once he knew they were alone.

"Yeah, I got that," Ichigo agreed.

"Can you beat them without being able to use Bankai?"

"I certainly can't use Bankai yet, but..." he trailed off, the memory of his second possession coming to his mind and him watching how easily his inner Hollow dismantled his opponent. "How should I say this? I feel as though it's within my grasp." Rika refrained from frowning at the blatant lie her brother was telling. He had been thoroughly defeated and here he was saying he was close to regaining his Bankai? It looked like Urahara was not convinced of his statement as well. "I'll figure something out."

"Is that so? I understand. I'll leave it to you," Urahara gave him the benefit of the doubt. "Now, Kurosaki-imouto-san," he turned to face Rika. "Can you tell me, without any doubts, that you can stand a chance against a Bount alone? Think about your answer carefully. You should always know your limits and where you stand against your enemy."

"I don't have an answer, Urahara-san," she answered with an apologetic tone, knowing that was not what he wanted to hear. "But what I do know is that I am far from my limits. I still have a lot of room to improve. Yukianesa still has a lot more things to teach to me. As for where I stand, I don't even know that myself. I have not been in a fight that can tell me that."

"I see," he nodded wisely. "And how much do you think you have improved?"

"I can't say. I know I have, and Yukianesa knows it too, but there has been no opportunity for me to find out just how much."

"Sparring is a good way to find that answer," he advised.

"Nii-san doesn't want to. When I told him I wanted to get stronger, he didn't give me a response," she replied as calmly as she could. Urahara could still sense the bitterness behind her words though. "I too have a good reason for wanting to be stronger. I too wish to protect my family. If nii-san falls, I can help him back up again. But if he doesn't want me to get stronger, very soon, I'll be too weak to even help him stand."

"Kurosaki-san?" Urahara turned his questioning gaze towards the elder sibling.

"It's not that I don't want her to get stronger. It's just that..." Ichigo paused to sigh in frustration. "If she does, I'm afraid more and tougher enemies will start targeting her. I don't want that happening."

"So you wish to keep her forever in your shadow?" Ichigo only hung his head as a response causing his sister to look away with a betrayed expression. Urahara could only shake his head at their current predicament. Neither of the siblings were wrong; they had very good reasons for their actions. Ichigo wanted to always be able to protect his sister, while Rika wanted to be able to stand by her brother's side as a capable individual like his friends. "I can understand why Kurosaki-san wishes to keep you behind his back, and frankly I agree." Ichigo looked happy that he agreed with his point of view while Rika simply looked dismayed and resigned. "Kurosaki-imouto-san, I will train you in place of your brother. The time Kurosaki-san's group spends raiding the Bount's hideout will be used for your training. Of course, that means you'll miss out on any battles that will take place there. By your answers, I will say that you are not yet ready to face anyone on your own. I will have you ready when your brother's group returns and hopefully there will be no more of this."

"But Urahara-san!" Ichigo tried to protest as his expression turned horrified.

"Your current behavior is quite unhealthy, Kurosaki-san," he stopped Ichigo from speaking.

"What?"

"Your sister is argubly the weakest member in your group right now but she has been rapidly improving, though not at your rate. If you keep this up, you'll lose the trust of the one closest to you. And eventually, once your strength far outgrows that of your friends, you will start doing the same to them, alienating them because in your eyes, they have become 'too weak' to fight by your side."

"I won't do that! I will never do that!" he yelled at the outrageous claim.

"Then it'd be best if you start rectifying that behavior now." Ichigo seemed very conflicted between allowing her to stand by him or keeping her out of harm's way because of his desire to protect his family. Memories both pleasant and sour flitted through his mind as he weighed his options. He remembered how he vowed to get stronger to avoid any more deaths in the family. He remembered how Rika protected their younger sisters from the sadness and solitude after their mother's death. He did no such thing, instead moping at the riverbank by himself, ignoring Rika who was always by his side whenever she could. He realized for the very first time that Rika had a strength very different from his own. Finally, he made up his mind and would not allow himself to regret his decision.

"Alright, Urahara-san. I'll leave Rika in your hands. Please train her well," he said. He was rewarded with a huge hug from his sister who thanked him from the bottom of her heart and promised not to let him down.

**Author's Note: Dalk is thoroughly owned by Hollow Ichigo and Rika, who has extended his time thanks to her previous manipulation of Ichigo's reiatsu. True to his fashion, he doesn't say anything in a relatively nice manner, though he does leave behind some valuable advice for Rika. To fit with my scenario , I made Kira appear quite a bit later so he does not meet up with Hollow Ichigo. Later on, when Ichigo and the others prepare to storm the Bount's hideout, he finally relents and allows Rika to go through training with Urahara so she can stand with him on the front lines. How will her training fare and just how much will she improve under Urahara's tutelage?**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	35. Fractured Training

Ichigo and the others left for the Bount hideout, while Rika stayed behind for some remedial training with Urahara. He had deemed her unready to face the powered up Bounts. Trusting his judgment, she agreed to the remedial training to get stronger and make her brother proud.

"By all rights, we should have done this during the training before you went to Soul Society," Urahara told her. "However, I had to focus on your brother at the time. He was the best chance of successfully rescuing Kuchiki Rukia."

"I understand," Rika nodded. On a high-risk mission, it was always best to focus on the highest chance of success and improving it.

"Now we have a chance to catch up with some lost time. I told your brother that the training he went through with me was a life-and-death situation in order to make him do his best. It is meaningless to hold an empty threat against you since I cannot kill you without major consequences and you will most probably see through my lie. All I ask is that you give your all, Kurosaki-san."

"I will try my best, Urahara-san," she promised.

"Very well," he nodded and drew his Zanpakutou from his cane. "From what you have told me, you admit that you lack the most important thing when it comes to fighting: experience. What you have been through so far are merely skirmishes. Even though this is only training, I will make you feel like you are in a life-or-death situation. I can easily rip away your Shinigami powers like Kuchiki Byakuya once did to your brother without killing you. You understand what that means, don't you?"

The frightened and fearful look in her eyes told him everything. He knew how close she was with her Zanpakutou and tearing them apart would definitely leave an emotional scar she would never fully recover from. Very few Shinigamis even came close to how attached she was to her Zanpakutou. While it was indeed heart-warming to see such a close connection, it was also true that the closer they were, the harder it was for the Shinigami to obtain Bankai, especially if the test consisted of combat. They would be extremely hesitant to even think of wounding the partner they treasured so much. Bankai required submission, after all. Simply saying they submitted to their wielder was never enough. Otherwise, many more Shinigamis would have already obtained the second release. Yoruichi had told him that while she was explaining about Bankai, Rika's face had contorted into one of extreme disgust. He understood why she would do so. Her Zanpakutou spirit took on the form of a little girl and with Rika's gentle nature and how close they were, it was an unsurmountable task for her to accomplish. Not in the sense it was impossible, but it was very likely she would absolutely refuse to lay a finger on her child-like Zanpakutou spirit.

"We have a shorter time to work with, so I'll push you to your limits as quickly as possible. **Awaken, Benihime." **Urahara released his Zanpakutou.

**"Play, Yukianesa!" **Rika followed suit and got into her customary defensive stance. Hollow Ichigo's advice continued ringing in her head but she could not apply that now. She knew Urahara was a very analytical man, constantly observing and constantly finding out something while he fought. She knew she was observant but was not foolish enough to think she was on par with him. She could not afford to be careless.

"I was informed that you largely prefer a defensive stance. Let me test how well you can keep up with me!" he rushed towards her with a single leap. He put quite some strength into his first strike and as expected, she easily defended against it. Almost immediately after guarding, she shifted her footing and slipped away, letting Benihime slide off Yukianesa easily. The momentum of his attack was barely stopped and he was forced to overextend, almost giving Rika a clean shot at him. However, experience allowed him to recover quickly and defend against her counter easily, knocking her back a short distance away.

_'She makes use of her opponent's strength and defends in a unique manner that practically forces them to overextend. However, I can see several flaws in her style, although it's very effective against those who don't realize they are being subtly manipulated to overextend,' _Urahara deduced in an instant after just exchanging a single blow. Deciding that he needed slightly more confirmation, he let loose a small series of textbook strikes. To his pleasant surprise, Rika was not fooled by his act and defended in a regular manner, striking back if she thought she had a chance.

_'She read that one like an open book. Perhaps a harder push is in order.' _Urahara became more aggressive and put more power behind his attacks. She realized something changed after a few blocks and reverted back to her unique way of defending. This time, she did not try to counter after each guard, instead using the short window of opportunity to raise her guard again. _'Good, she's not careless enough to try to take every chance she has to attack. She's carefully judging how far she's making me overextend to make sure I don't counter her counter. She's thought ahead. How about this then?'_

Urahara made his blows lighter and increased their speed. Before Benihime could completely slide off Yukianesa, he drew back his Zanpakutou for another strike, preventing the forced overextension. Rika's eyes widened in surprise as she put up an awkward guard hastily, not expecting the change in tactics. She was still successfully guarding, but she was getting desperate. _'She's not used to fighting speedy opponents. Considering her low physical strength, opponents would likely try to overpower her rather than outspeed her. Her unique Zanjutsu style is meant for those individuals since she is fast enough to react to quick strikes. She's just not used to them.' _Just when he thought he got her in a pinch, he sensed her reiatsu surge for just a brief second.

**"Koori no Ame!" **she called out her technique as she met one of his attacks with one of her own, except with countless icicles shooting out from the blade. Urahara quickly got out of the way with Shunpo. At point-blank range, regular dodging would not have made the cut. He looked behind him to appreciate the wall made of ice crystals after the icicles impacted against a hill.

"That was a close one, Kurosaki-san! I almost didn't see that one coming!" he praised her in his jovial happy-go-lucky tone.

"Liar..." she muttered under her breath. "You probably saw it coming before I even fired it."

"True, but it was really scary! There was almost no warning when you used that technique!" _'There is a warning, but it's a very short one. If I hadn't been keeping notice of her reiatsu, I probably would have missed it. It's not surprising her brother failed to detect it during the test,' _he noted mentally but showing nothing outwardly. He studied Rika carefully as she slid back into her defensive stance, eyeing him very warily. She was clearly not confident in taking the offensive, and that gave him the time to read her reiatsu levels.

_'What? Her reiatsu levels didn't change?' _he refrained from narrowing his eyes in suspicion. _'According to her Zanpakutou and her brother, that technique takes a fixed amount of reiatsu from her, and the amount is supposedly all of her reiatsu. She had no repercussions during the test, but she collapsed protecting her brother from a Bount with the same technique. Her Zanpakutou did say that she could not use it at the very start of a fight. It is unlikely she has to prepare her reiatsu for it or it having a time release. So how?'_

His thoughts were forced to stop when he saw an icicle headed his way. He saw its effects once and knew enough about it with just that one glance. It was one of those techniques that had little offensive power but surprisingly good uses. Frostbite was extremely painful when only a small part of the body was immediately frozen or close to being frozen. That was what the icicle did if it came into contact with the body. It was extremely useful as a distraction technique, and Rika knew that he knew. Unfortunately for her, Urahara had already taken that into account and correctly predicted her thoughts about his possible reactions to her attack.

One: He would destroy it with Benihime and leave himself open.

Two: He would dodge it and then block her follow-up attack.

Three: He would fire back his own stronger projectile and try to push the offensive.

Urahara picked option two as his response but with a little modification. He dodged the lone icicle easily enough, catching sight of Rika using Shunpo to try and push her advantage. It was a good tactic, except he was faster.

**"Sing, Benihime," **he uttered when she was within hearing range. Her eyes widened in horror as he lashed out with a wide slash, shooting out a crimson-colored energy wave almost right in her face, a mockery of what she had done just prior moments ago. Unable to dodge after just stopping her Shunpo, she abandoned her attack and placed Yukianesa in front of her in a desperate bid to guard. It did stop the energy wave from hitting her directly, but it did nothing to stop the momentum other than reducing its power slightly from the absorption. She screamed as she was sent sailing back, crashing harshly into a hill and demolishing it.

Rika tumbled gracelessly from the leftover momentum before finally stopping in another part of the basement. Cuts and bruises were all over her body as she activated her partial healing while she had the chance. The cuts closed and the pain from her bruises were dulled a little when the healing stopped. She shakily got back up to her feet and returned to her stance as she waited for the dust to clear.

"How ironic. The sibling who wishes to protect attacks recklessly, while the sibling who wishes to get stronger to stand by his side at the front lines is defending like a stubborn warden. The roles are rather mismatched, don't you think?" she heard Urahara's voice talking from somewhere in the barren wasteland. Rika looked around her with a slight sense of hysteria. He had not been joking when he said she would feel like she was fighting for her life in this training. She reached out with her senses to try and locate his reiatsu, but it seemed that he was hiding it.

"Is something wrong, Kurosaki-san? You are shaking," Urahara continued talking, unnerving her even more. Was he trying for a psychological attack? Rika tried to calm herself by taking a deep breath, but that was when he attacked, coming from above. He dived straight at her, sword poised for a thrust. She dodged, knowing that she could not guard that without getting into a power struggle which she would surely lose. Urahara expected her to do so, resulting in him thrusting Benihime's blade into the ground. He flawlessly moved into a one-handed handstand using the pommel of Benihime and swung around, connecting with a kick with enough force to send a metal beam flying.

That was where the training took a turn for the unexpected. Ichigo had fallen for the same sequence of moves Urahara performed, except he took the kick to his side. Rika, on the other hand, had instinctively tried to guard the attack using her arm. The sickening sound of bones cracking could be heard resounding throughout the barren basement followed by a bloodcurdling cry of agony from the victim. All of the occupants of the Urahara Shop except for Yoruichi who was not present, nearly grimaced at the sound. Rika was thrown once again into another hill, except its structure remained and she bounded off its face.

Pain and adrenaline rushing through her veins, she quickly propped herself against the hill and tried to nurse her broken arm. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she bit down hard on her lip to prevent from crying out. Her sniffles still made it out and was heard loud and clear by her trainer and the spectators.

"Yu... Yukianesa... Can you heal this...?" she said through her teeth.

_"I'm sorry, Master," _Yukianesa gave a sincere apology. _"If I do, I'll end up taking all of the reiatsu you've stored along with all your reserves just to mend some of the cracks. Not only will you collapse from total reiatsu loss again, but even a swing of your sword might fracture your arm further. You don't have enough to mend the cracks entirely. I'm really sorry, Master."_

"No way..." On one hand, the pain was extremely excruciating and she had no means to heal it. If she did, she would collapse from total reiatsu loss and would have to spend days recuperating, time that she could not afford to waste. She had finally gotten her brother's approval! She did not want to disappoint him like this! She tried to lift her broken arm, causing a huge amount of pain to flood through her nervous system. This time, she could not hold back her pain-filled cry and her sobs escaped from her throat as well. Still, she forced herself to her feet, holding Yukianesa with her weak arm while trying her best to not move her broken dominant left arm. She just had to have it broken when she was left-handed.

"All I need... is to absorb more reiatsu, right...?" she hissed through the pain, a small sniffle making itself known.

_"Don't push yourself, Master!" _Yukianesa pleaded, extremely concerned for her wielder. _"The limit of my partial healing for your arm is only completely mending your fractures and restoring the bone's hardness. The pain from having it broken will still remain. To completely fix your arm, you'll have to put me in Overflow. Stop for now and let that shopkeeper heal you."_

"I can't... Not like this..." she staggered towards where Urahara was standing, looking at her with a mix of concern and judging eyes, as though judging her character.

"I will admit that I did not plan for that to happen, Kurosaki-san. I sincerely apologize," he bowed his head in apology. "In that state, do you still wish to go on? Knowing when to stop is vital in order to avoid losing your life. Pride can lead to death if you are not careful."

"No... I can... continue..." she struggled to speak through the pain. A one-handed swing with her weak arm was so out of form even a toddler could dodge it. Urahara saw the same fire and determination in her eyes he saw in Ichigo except she could not put it to use, not right now. Deciding to put an end to this session of training, he reached out and gently held onto her broken limb, sending a fresh wave of pain through her. She screamed in absolute pain as she fell to her knees, her broken limb held up by Urahara.

"Let go! Please let go of me, Urahara-san! It hurts! It hurts!" she openly wept, the tears falling even faster as she tried a futile attempt to pull her arm away.

"We will stop for now. Tessai-san will treat your broken arm and until it's healed completely, our training is on hold," he told her sternly, but her stubbornness decided to make one last attempt to continue the training session.

"NO! I can't stop now! I can't disappoint nii-san like this! Not in this unsightly manner!" she yelled through her sobs. Urahara simply watched her quietly as her logical side quickly regained control. Her fury died down as an extremely miserable look appeared on her face. "Not like this... Not like this..." Rika completely broke down into loud wails and sobs as Urahara gently moved her broken arm into a position where it could hang limply. He put Benihime aside for a moment as he brought the distraught girl into a small hug. She was quick to grab his coat and buried her face in it.

"It's okay... Calm down, Kurosaki-san... This is just a minor setback... I promise you... I'll help you get stronger so you can fight with your brother... For now, just calm yourself..." he whispered in a soothing tone as Rika continued crying.

Inside Rika's inner world, it was suffering from the worst snowstorm Yukianesa had ever witnessed. It even threatened to destroy the single window of the cottage.

"I can't believe Master is this upset..." she sighed, almost as miserable as Rika. It was purely an accident of reflex, but a horrible accident nonetheless. Rika had been so looking forward to standing by her brother on the battlefield and for this to happen now of all times... Yukianesa understood perfectly how it must have affected her wielder. She glanced at the melting chocolate sundae she placed on the table moments ago. Even with her insatiable sweet tooth, the misery both Shinigami and Zanpakutou shared was enough to quell her desire to consume the treat.

Yukianesa would do everything in her power to make sure she would be able to stand against an enemy and emerge victorious. That was the general goal of any Zanpakutou, but for Yukianesa it was much more personal than that. She wanted the gentle, loving and motherly Rika, not the emotionally broken wreck of a girl that she currently was. Yukianesa knew her spirit was strong, but it was not invincible. It took a lot for her spirit to break, but when it broke, it really shattered. Once when she believed the game they were playing to enhance her resistance to her own element was actually an attempt to rape her, and now being cruelly shot down from her desired goal by an honest, blameless mistake. That was twice now. Yukianesa vowed to do everything she could to prevent a third time.

**Author's Note: This chapter is all about Rika. Whatever battles that take place at the Bount hideout will only be briefly touched upon when something of importance needs to be said.**

**Rika and Urahara get off to a good start in their training, only for a disastrous incident to happen mid-way. This will not be the end of her training, far from it, but her resolve, along with her arm, has been heavily damaged by the accident. Can she recover completely, and in time, to finish her training?**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	36. Powering Up To Completion

Once her tears had dried up and her emotions under control, Rika immediately apologized to Urahara for her breakdown. He brushed it aside, saying that he completely understood what she was feeling. He proceeded to tell her that Ichigo and the others had went to Soul Society to pursue the Bounts. Apparently, Ishida had helped them open a Senkaimon because he held a grudge against Kariya and wanted to defeat him at his strongest, which was at Soul Society.

Rika sat down on her futon, gently nursing her broken arm which was cast on a sling while she stared aimlessly at the wall. Tessai had fixed the fractures and removed the pain with kidou before advising her to let her arm naturally recover its mobility by itself. Too much external healing would reduce the body's natural resistance and endurance. It was still stiff and would cause a jolt of pain to shoot through her body if she aggravated it. According to him, it would only take a full day of rest before she could resume training safely.

"Can I have a moment, Kurosaki-san?" Urahara poked his head into the guest room, snapping her out of her mindless daze.

"Of course, Urahara-san," Rika saw no reason to refuse the shopkeeper. She waited until he took out a cushion and sat beside her. "Is there anything you need from me?"

"In fact, I do. Despite the abrupt end of our short session, I did notice some very particular oddities concerning you," he told her. She kept a cool facade as she tried to figure out what he was thinking. "First of all, your reiatsu. Your Zanpakutou spirit has told me that your Koori no Ame technique takes all of your reiatsu, is that correct?"

"Yes, that's true," she nodded her head. She could hear Yukianesa fidgeting inside her head. She heard mutterings about how 'that idiot' made her slip her tongue and reveal unnecessary things to people who were not supposed to know. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"Perhaps. The first time I saw you use it, you did it without any visible drawbacks. Later that night, your brother barged in here with you nearly losing your Shinigami powers with your abysmal reiatsu. He claimed you performed the same technique and your spirit backed up that claim. And just a few hours ago, you used that technique and I noticed your reiatsu did not drop in the slightest. I kept track of it since then, and even till the end your reiatsu did not fluctuate in the slightest. I would like to know what is causing this oddity."

_"No! Don't tell him anything! I don't want him to know! Don't let him know!" _Yukianesa was screaming quite desperately at Rika. Slightly wincing from the volume, she glanced at Urahara uncertainly.

"...Yukianesa does provide me with the reiatsu to use that technique safely," she revealed half the truth. The look on his face told her that he caught on to the half-truth.

"Surely there's something more, Kurosaki-san," he pressed.

"...I'm really sorry, Urahara-san, but Yukianesa has made me swear to secrecy. She doesn't want me to tell you anything more," she apologized, feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place. "I'm afraid you'll have to find out by yourself when we resume."

"Fair enough," he relented. "We will resume again tomorrow morning. In the meantime, please rest and recover here." When he left the room, Rika returned her attention to Yukianesa via Jinzen and getting into her inner world. To her slight surprise, her injury was gone.

"Yuki-chan," she called for her Zanpakutou as she entered the cottage. Yukianesa was currently prepping the table with various delicacies for them to enjoy. Rika took a seat when gestured and the spirit joined her.

"You shouldn't go revealing my techniques whenever someone asks," she told her as she served the food. "A Zanpakutou's properties and techniques are like their secrets. You wouldn't want me spilling your secrets whenever someone asks, would you?"

"Sorry, Yuki-chan..." Rika was a little disappointed in herself. Now that Yukianesa had said it directly, she was ashamed that she had considered telling Urahara. It was not obvious at first glance, but she just realized that Zanpakutous guarded their techniques very jealously, only sharing them if their wielder proved worthy.

"However, we _do _need help in completing our collaboration technique," Yukianesa continued speaking just as she stuck her fork into her blueberry cake. "Since we are sharing the responsibility, I'll allow you to ask for his help to test it out."

"Can we complete it by tomorrow?" Rika's eyes lit up with anticipation as she picked a fruitcake from the table.

"Possibly. I've already done my part in configuring the element to do as this technique requires. Have you figured out what to do on your side?"

"I've already gotten down how to put reiatsu into the Zanpakutou. The only thing left is how to time my strike. We don't exactly have anything to test it on."

"That's what the shopkeeper is there for. He won't refuse helping to master a technique." Rika nodded in agreement, both pausing to take a few bites of their cake. "Have you come up with a suitable name for it? I won't acknowledge it if it sounds lame or stupid!"

"Don't worry, I've taught long and hard about it," she assured her doubtful spirit. She leaned in and whispered the name into her ear which perked up in excitement and apparent approval of the newly named technique.

"It sounds amazing! It sounds so royal and imposing! And you even managed to keep it in theme with my name! I totally accept it, Master!" Yukianesa was really excited about the name. "When we do complete this technique, make sure to make it sound cool!"

"Yes, of course. Thank you so much for helping me with this, Yuki-chan," she affectionately ruffled the spirit's hair, causing her to squeal in laughter. She was so caught up with the 'coolness' of the name that she did not protest against it. They spent quite some time enjoying themselves, eating the various cakes and desserts on the table without getting hungry at all. By the time she left her inner world, she had already slept the rest of the day away. Now that morning had arrived, she removed her cast and tested her arm's mobility by flexing it a little. It was still a little stiff, but the pain was totally gone. A little warm-up exercise would do the trick. She headed down to the basement to see Urahara already waiting there with an expectant look on his face.

"You're up quite early today, Kurosaki-san! Did you have a good rest last night?" he asked cheerfully.

"Yes! I had quite the good rest," she answered with a bright enthusiasm.

"Are we ready to start?" At her nod, Urahara punted his cane against her forehead, knocking out her Shinigami form. "Now then, shall we resume where we last left off?" he drew his Zanpakutou from his cane.

"Urahara-san, is it okay if I can work on one of my techniques today?" she immediately asked.

"Go right ahead."

"Um... I need your help for this, Urahara-san..." she fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Oh? Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Stop hesitating and try out our brand new technique already!" Yukianesa demanded, surprising Rika since she silenced her bells. Thanks to that, she managed to extract a lollipop from her and escaped to the cliff of a hill. Swinging her legs in contentment, she happily sucked on her treat while ignoring the disapproving look from her wielder. It did help her to get over her hesitation though.

"I'd rather not do a test run on the battlefield, so I would like Urahara-san to... well..." Rika trailed off, shooting a guilty look at her trainer.

"You want me to take on this technique of yours head-on?" he guessed.

"Well, sort of... We want to test how much force this technique can take," she said. "Yukianesa! Help me out!" Yukianesa hopped off the cliff and dusted her dress as she finished off her treat. She conjured up a cocoon of ice in front of Urahara and focused on adjusting the properties of the ice element. According to how Rika wanted it, this collaboration technique required the full extent of Yukianesa's control of the element.

"All you have to do is strike that cocoon with everything you have. The only condition is that you have to physically touch it with something. No projectiles," Yukianesa explained briefly.

"Why not?"

"We're not testing for that at the moment. Now get to it and stop asking questions!"

"My, my! What a bossy little girl!" Urahara laughed.

"I'm not a little girl! I'm a Zanpakutou!" she fumed, breaking into a tantrum.

"Calm down, Yukianesa. We're asking Urahara-san for a favor. That's no way to act," Rika gently scolded her spirit.

"I suppose..." she relaxed. "Well, he is getting hurt, after all." She chuckled darkly, causing shivers to go up Urahara's spine.

"I'll get hurt if I touch that cocoon?" he pointed to the ice structure.

"Of course!" Yukianesa smiled with all the innocence of a little girl as if it was a perfectly good thing he was getting hurt.

"That's cruel..." Urahara uttered in a defeated tone. As the trainer, he was honor-bound to help Rika in any way, even if that meant he had to get hurt. "Very well. How much force should I strike it with?"

"As hard as you can without using a technique. Though we would like to know how much of your strength will be behind that one hit," Rika told him. "Like I said earlier, we wish to test how much force this technique can take." Urahara nodded and told her he would start at half-strength. His reiatsu flared a little as he gathered his strength and swung Benihime at the cocoon. The cocoon shattered with some resistance, but the implied pain did not come.

"Well? How was it? I assume it was a failure?" Urahara asked, looking at the shattered remains as they disappeared.

"Hmm... Perhaps I should put more reiatsu into it...?" Rika asked Yukianesa uncertainly.

"Too much is a bad idea. You'll be consuming too much reiatsu for it to be effective. I put reiatsu equal to 50% of your own into that cocoon but it still shattered. I will allow you to add 25% more reiatsu to reinforce it further, but no more. My blade will likely break from the following attack if you force too much reiatsu into a single strike," she advised.

"One more time please, Urahara-san," Rika requested as Yukianesa made another ice cocoon. Urahara focused his reiatsu again, striking at half-strength again. This time, it did not shatter. Urahara saw how the instant Benihime struck the cocoon and failed to shatter it, it was immediately encased in ice along with his entire arm. The pain was intense, as he could feel his arm being frozen all the way down to the bones, nerves and all. Still, his discipline prevented him from letting out even a grunt of pain, instead forcing his mind to focus on the aspects of this technique. Rika quickly ordered Yukianesa to take down the cocoon and to defrost his arm. She did it without complaint and had a look of satisfaction on her face.

"Alright! It worked!" Rika cheered once Urahara was safely defrosted.

"Naturally! I am amazing, after all!" Yukianesa declared, her head held high with pride.

"Can I assume this is a defensive technique?" Urahara spoke up, using healing kidou to bring back the feeling in his arm.

"Yes, it is! We figured that since I prefer fighting defensively, we decided to come up with an original technique that suits me!" Rika explained, looking like nothing could bring that smile down her face.

"That cocoon will freeze any offending object that touches it. It has an extremely potent freezing ability, so if you wish to break away from it, you would have to literally cut your entire arm off to escape," Yukianesa added.

"That's certainly true. With that amount of freezing, you would have to sacrifice whatever is frozen to move away," Urahara agreed.

"And that's just the first part! Master will finish the job by dealing a critical blow while they are unable to escape!"

"Ah, so it's a counter technique with two parts to it."

"That's right! It's our original, collaboration technique!"

"I must say that I am impressed," he admitted. "But it is incomplete, isn't it Kurosaki-san?"

"Yukianesa has done her part perfectly. I'm just not done with the counter aspect of it. I haven't stabilized it yet," Rika replied. "I can't make the counterattack consistent. I can gather the reiatsu needed for it, but I don't have the physical strength needed to make the attack stable. I have tried it, but the power keeps fluctuating. I need your help, Urahara-san. I need someone to help me with my physical conditioning."

Urahara immediately understood what her problem was but he was honestly surprised by the similar yet different problems the Kurosaki siblings had. Ichigo's physical strength was higher than his skill, that being the reason he preferred power hits, even when he obtained Bankai. Rika was the exact opposite. Her skill was currently far ahead her physical strength. It was not easy using a defensive Zanjutsu style and putting it to good use. It was mostly left unsaid as it was common knowledge, but the more reiatsu you put into a strike, the harder you had to swing. All Shinigamis learned this at the beginning points of their career. And in Rika's case, she lacked the appropriate amount of physical strength to properly utilize the amount of reiatsu she was planning to use.

"Looks like I'll have to take a couple of pages out of your brother's book," he said. "From what you've told me, you should have already figured out that keeping reiatsu in your blade while swinging is not the same as keeping reiatsu in it to shoot a projectile." Rika nodded to that, knowing how easy it was to shoot her Koori no Ame after some time. A simple swing of her Zanpakutou was already enough to fire it.

"One thing you must know about a Shinigami's power is that their strength can never be gained by mere exercise and working out. Exercise only keeps them in shape so their reiatsu can flow smoothly. They are constantly channeling their reiatsu throughout their entire body to enhance their physical attributes. Compared to regular humans, even a petite female Shinigami can utterly overpower a muscled male Shinigami. Prime examples would be the 2nd Division Captain and Yoruichi-san. The only way to get strong is by harsh training and regular combat. Only then can your body learn to channel reiatsu automatically to enhance itself. And the more your body gets used to channeling reiatsu, the stronger you get."

Rika took some time to think about what Urahara had told her. Yukianesa was listening to it half-heartedly, having already known all this. Being a Zanpakutou, she was pretty much 'born' with that knowledge. Once Rika had understood all the details, she nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"Very well. Similarly to how Kenpachi manhandled your brother before he found his resolve to fight back, I will fight you the same way. Your unique style of Zanjutsu takes advantage of the fact that you are always physically weaker than your opponent. You do not allow yourself to absorb all the force of the attack by guarding at an angle and immediately slipping away. While it does force them to overextend and may leave an opening, it does little in helping your physical strength grow. One of the reasons your brother is so physically strong is because he takes most of his opponent's attacks head on, always challenging their power with his own. His body knows how to instinctively enhance itself to keep up with them."

Urahara released Benihime and got into a ready stance. "I will pressure you with pure force, and if you wish to get stronger, then defend against me without resorting to your unique style of defense or Shikai."

"Huh? Is there something about Shikai?" Rika asked, confused by the restriction.

"Shikai makes your reiatsu more potent, that is why releasing it causes others to feel your reiatsu rising. Experienced Shinigamis do not release their Zanpakutous unnecessarily if they know they can defeat their foes without it. They only do so if they feel the need to take them down quickly. Unless you are training to perfect your techniques, it is best to train with your reiatsu's natural potency," he explained.

"I understand, Urahara-san. Whenever you are ready," she prepped herself to guard.

"Here I come!" he started the training session and charged towards her, putting a huge amount of reiatsu behind his single swing. "Do not dodge! Defend to the best of your ability and take all the force! Hold your ground!" he reminded her one last time. Rika blocked it as instructed and she nearly buckled from the force. Despite having her free arm to support her blade, a crater opened up from beneath her feet and her arms nearly allowed themselves to drop her guard and allow that huge attack to hit her.

When both combatants were sure that the attack's momentum was all gone, Urahara lifted his Zanpakutou away. Rika dropped hers to the ground, lifting her visibly shaking hands to look at them in disbelief. He could see how her legs were also shaking, forcing themselves to keep her standing. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably, and she appeared to have trouble moving them.

"You did well to hold your ground, but if this is all it takes for you to drop your Zanpakutou because you can no longer grip it, you won't last very long on the battlefield," he told her almost disappointingly. Rika's eye lit up with resolve as she slowly bent down to pick up her Zanpakutou. She slowly returned to a defensive stance, eyes burning with determination even though her Zanpakutou was rattling noisily in her hands.

"No, not yet... Let's continue," she told him with no room for argument.

"As you wish..." he continued raining heavy blows at her as she gritted her teeth and forced her hands to maintain their grip on Yukianesa. Each blow sent shockwaves through her body, threatening to make her drop her sword and knock her down to her ground. Still, she persevered, guarding against the blows frantically. An hour flew by, and she desperately ignored the pain she was enduring. Her hands and legs burned, begging for rest but still she ignored them. She was going to keep on going until she could no longer move. She was still standing, so she would not stop there. It was not until her guard was broken by a particularly powerful strike, causing her to be thrown off her feet. Urahara waited for her to get back up but after a while, he heard a weak call from Rika.

"I'm at my limit, Urahara-san... I can't... stand up..." she groaned. He went nearer for a closer look and indeed saw that she was indeed no longer able to move. Her arms and legs were shaking so badly she could hardly move them.

"Let's stop and get some rest, shall we?" he suggested, his usual smile back on his face. She could only smile weakly in response. He carried her on a piggyback and after making sure she would not fall off, climbed up the ladder back to the shop. Even after getting back in her body, she was still visibly shaking. Tessai gathered everyone for lunch, which proved quite disastrous for Rika.

She could not grip her chopsticks so she switched to a spoon, only to be met with similar results. Her hands were shaking so badly she could not pick up her bowl of rice without it dropping. She stared at her hands once again, trying to exert control over them. Naturally, staring did not do anything of that sort.

"You're really pissing me off! Stop those unsightly actions!" Yukianesa appeared near to Rika, her bells jingling loud and clear. She had a huge pout on her face as she glared rather childishly at her. She hastily picked up the chopsticks and the bowl of rice, taking a few pieces of the side dishes and stuffing them into the bowl. "Come with me!" she barked at Rika, stomping towards the guest room. Rika offered a quick apology for her rudeness before following, or at least she tried to follow.

She immediately fell forward when she attempted to stand, her legs not having rested enough to even stand yet. Yukianesa put the bowl down in frustration and dragged her to the room with little difficulty for a girl her size. Once the two of them were inside, she slammed the door closed. Once they were alone, she picked up a few grains of rice and held it out to Rika.

"Here!" she nearly jabbed the chopsticks in her face. Rika stared stupidly at the utensil in front of her for a few seconds. "What are you waiting for? Eat it!" she yelled, causing her to utter a startled apology and quickly take in the rice. Yukianesa soon withdrew the utensil and picked up more food for her wielder. Only now realizing what she was doing for her, Rika smiled in great affection for her Zanpakutou spirit.

"Thank you, Yukianesa," she thanked her sincerely. Over the past two months since they first met, Rika had grown quite attached to her Zanpakutou. Despite her occasional haughty and arrogant attitude along with some childish and tsundere qualities, she could clearly say she dearly loved her partner. The childish glare and pout, along with her embarrassed blush at having to spoon-feed her wielder only served to further solidify her love for her Zanpakutou.

Over the next few days, Rika underwent heavy conditioning and sparring. After constantly having her arms and legs strained to the point of immobility, Rika had finally gained enough physical strength to be able to handle her reiatsu-boosted attack perfectly. Both girls were eager to finally try out the perfected technique except Urahara had to regrettably dampen their mood. Although the Senkaimon they used to enter Soul Society was still available, he still had to rewire it to the correct time axis or she might be thrown to some other time period or get run over by the Kototsu, the train-like thing, and die or get thrown through time even further if she somehow survived.

Urahara assured Rika that though she could not do anything to aid Ichigo this time around, she still had an opportunity to fight. Aizen had yet to make his move and when he did, Urahara prayed that everyone would be ready for him.

**Author's Note: I have to regret cutting the Bount Arc off here. Not only is my interest in the arc low to begin with, I had writer's block just thinking of how to insert Rika inside. Now I can move on to one of my favorite arcs, the Arrancar Arc!**

**There's not much to say other than Rika completed her training with Urahara while Ichigo and the others settled the Bounts over at Soul Society. Rika and Yukianesa have finally completed their original technique which will be showcased in a future battle. Rika's presence will have a very huge impact starting from the Arrancar Arc and will change several important events but not all.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	37. Warning From A Vizard

A few days after Ichigo and his friends returned from Soul Society, a blonde haired man named Hirako Shinji enrolled into Ichigo's class. At first, no-one really suspected anything about the guy. It was only later that night when Ichigo and Rika would learn about his real identity.

After Ichigo was done with his routine Hollow petrol with Rika searching the other side of town, he was confronted by the official Shinigami dispatched by Soul Society. While he was still trying to convince him of his status as a Substitute Shinigami, Rika was done on her side and went towards her brother to join up with him. When she spotted him, she also saw someone sneaking up from behind and above him. Sensing danger from the unknown individual, she quickly Shunpo-ed towards Ichigo when she saw the individual draw a katana, a Zanpakutou, she realized with a little shock.

"Nii-san, look out!" she screamed, causing him to turn around in surprise as she guarded the back-attack for him. The individual, a man, had put quite a lot of reiatsu into his attack, and she had put a similar amount of reiatsu into her guard, causing reiatsu to flare and blow the official Shinigami away.

"What the! Hirako?" Ichigo recognized his attacker. He then noticed the Zanpakutou he was holding. "A Zanpakutou? Bastard, who the hell are you?" Shinji only responded by putting a finger over his lips, making a hush motion.

"Don't make so much noise, Kurosaki Ichigo," he told him with a wide grin. "Someone with so much reiatsu shouldn't create a commotion so easily. It will echo throughout the world and alert others."

"Alert others? Like who?"

"Like who, you say?" Shinji's grin fell. "Do you really need me to spell it out for you, dumbass?" Incited at being called a dumbass, Ichigo made a retaliatory swing, causing him to disengage from Rika and back off to a safe distance. He then looked away for a moment, noting the disappearance of a presence.

"Hirako! What the hell are you, you bastard?" Ichigo was more pissed than usual, most likely because of the cowardly back-attack.

"See? I told you!" Shinji began chiding him instead of answering his question. "This is because you just let your reiatsu carelessly spill out."

"I asked you who the hell you are!"

"Jeez, what a pain in the ass," Shinji rested his Zanpakutou on his shoulder. "Do you really want to know so badly what I am? Okay then..." He raised a hand over his head and started gathering reiatsu there. Something started forming bit by bit, but Rika had already known what was forming simply by the feel of the reiatsu. It was Hollow reiatsu he was gathering. And exactly as she had predicted, it was a Hollow's mask. "Check it out. What's this?"

"A Hollow's mask?" Ichigo was shocked to see it in his hands.

"That's right," he raised his Zanpakutou to bring attention to it. "A Zanpakutou and a Hollow's mask. You understand, don't you?"

"You're the same as nii-san," Rika spoke up for the first time since Ichigo was too stunned to speak.

"Right. I am a Shinigami that has stepped into Hollow territory. I told your brother 'Let's be friends'," he replied. "I am a Vizard. I am your brother's kin." He then turned to look at Ichigo. "Come to our side, Ichigo. You do not belong on this side." A foreign Shinigami's reiatsu was then detected by all three of them. While Shinji was distracted by it, Ichigo tried to make an escape. "Hey, damn it! Where are you going, Ichigo? I'm not finished talking yet!"

"I'll pass," Ichigo replied.

"I said I'm not finished yet!"

"Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it!" he stopped to look back at Shinji. "I don't care what kind of organization your so-called Vizard is. I have no desire to be friends with you all!" They glared at each other for a little while before Ichigo placed a hand over his chest. "I'm a Shinigami! I'm not your friend!" he declared with conviction. "Let's get out of here, Rika."

"No, I have something to ask this man. Go ahead first, nii-san," she refused, staying put and looking at Shinji with intent. He nodded and took off, and when he was out of sight, the two remaining faced each other.

"Tell me whatever it is you wanted to tell nii-san. I will relay the message to him," she said.

"Do you even know what's going on with Ichigo?" Shinji looked skeptical.

"I know it's about his Hollow. I'm his sister. Don't take me for a fool. Nii-san will listen more closely to me than someone who's practically a hostile stranger."

"...It's already too late for him," he muttered.

"Too late for what?"

"Us Vizards cannot become normal again once the symptoms appear. No matter what you guys think, Ichigo's on our side now."

"By symptoms, you mean the appearance of the mask?" Rika was not shaken by the piece of information. She already had contact with Hollow Ichigo and was on good terms with him. She was not frightened by her brother's inner Hollow.

"You're pretty knowledgeable for someone who's not involved with us," he half-praised. "All of the people that you believe to be friends... Well, they're only friends for the time being. If Ichigo keeps on being a Shinigami, at some point he will lose his sanity and be swallowed up by the Hollow inside. And when that happens, it's all over. His power will destroy everything. Your friends, as well as the future, will all be swallowed and smashed to pieces!"

"I will take your word for it since you're the experienced one here, Hirako-san," she accepted his words with a nod. "I do know that nii-san has been fighting against his Hollow to remain in control of his body. Is there anything else?"

"Ichigo will have noticed that his Hollow is already so powerful he can't control it. Tell him to come to me, Kurosaki Rika. I will show him how to maintain his sanity." Rika knew that part to be true. Hollow Ichigo had told her himself that Ichigo never once had control over him. "Tell him that and make sure not to leave anything out, got it?"

"I understand. Remember that I am only speaking on your behalf. I am not convincing nii-san to join your group. I am only making sure that he thinks about your words," she told him.

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Have a good evening then, Hirako-san," she bowed slightly before leaving for home. So far, Shinji had done nothing to mark him as an enemy if she ignored his sneak attack from behind. She was just giving common courtesy to a known stranger. Back home, Ichigo asked what business she had with Shinji. She relayed the message to him and watched her brother's reaction closely as he looked rather distressed from the warning of inevitable insanity.

"What do you want me to do then?" he asked, sighing in frustration as he sat on Rika's bed. "Join this Vizard group or something?"

"That is your decision to make, nii-san. I am not going to try and convince you of anything. I will support whatever choice you make," she told him, holding his hand in a show of support.

"Thanks, Rika," he gave her a small, tired smile. Whatever Shinji had said was true so far, but Ichigo was determined not to let his future get destroyed by his inner Hollow. He was going to fight tooth and nail for his soul, and he was going to do it without the help of Shinji's group. They sounded way too suspicious to him, especially since Shinji had tried to attack him.

Despite that, he was thoroughly disturbed by the warning. He could not concentrate at all in school and when he and Rika got home, he was not in the mood to even dodge their father's attack. All he said was that he was staying in his room until dinner time.

"We're home," Rika called out to the Mod Souls as she entered their shared bedroom.

"Welcome home, Rika, Ichigo!" Ririn greeted them rather cheerfully. Kon greeted them as well, seemingly in a good mood too.

"What's this, what's this, what's this? Here I am greeting you and all you can do is look gloomy like a voodoo doll!" Kon noticed Ichigo's dark mood.

"Sorry, Kon. Nii-san's got a lot on his mind recently," Rika answered on her brother's behalf. Knowing that he preferred being gloomy alone, she quickly excused herself for a bath. When she was done, Karin was outside waiting for her. "Is something wrong, Karin-chan?"

"Rika-nee, I want you to tell me what Ichi-nii is so worried about," she told her directly.

"I have a guess, but I can't say for certain," Rika replied. She knew it was likely to be about his Hollow, but he might be thinking about Shinji's group.

"I know about it, Rika-nee," Karin was not satisfied by the vague answer.

"Know about what?"

"I know that Ichi-nii is a Shinigami!" she spoke with absolute certainty. "And don't tell me that he isn't! I know you saw him as a Shinigami too!" Rika's look of surprise only confirmed that she was right. "I can see them. I've been able to for a long time."

"I know, Karin-chan. Shinigamis are spirits," Rika did not deny anything. "We can both see them. Nii-san is a Shinigami, but how do you know that?"

"At the graves, when you were caught by that monster, I saw Ichi-nii rescue you," she revealed. She had looked back and saw their brother rescue her older sister when she was running away with Yuzu. "At first, I didn't know what was going on, but old man Kanonji..."

Meanwhile, while Karin explained how she discovered the existence of Shinigamis to her older sister, Ichigo was on his bed fretting over the warning Rika passed to him after telling the Mod Souls to leave him alone. He recalled the times when his inner Hollow would take control. He remembered the Hollow mask that came back even when it was discarded. That mask had suddenly disappeared. That was when he had to start fighting for control of his body and started hearing the voice of his Hollow calling out to him. Shinji did not need to send the message to him. He already knew all that. At the rate things were going for him...

_**"'At this rate' what?" **_Ichigo eyes snapped wide open when he heard that voice echo around him when it was actually in his head.

"You!" he sat up immediately and looked around as if his Hollow had appeared in the room.

**_"Don't you think you're a bit too scared, Ichigo?" _**Hollow Ichigo taunted. **_"Why don't you be a little more like our sister Rika-chan? Unlike you, she doesn't reek of fear for me and we both know she likes me."_**

"Bastard! Don't you dare lay a finger on her! And she's not your sister!" Ichigo snarled through gritted teeth. Although agitated from the unspoken threat aimed towards Rika, he was still feeling intimidated from the fear he was feeling.

**_"Hah! Just what I thought you'd say! You're so easy to figure out!" _**he replied condescendingly. **_"How interesting. How about I scare you even more? I'm going to draw closer and closer to you. But not just day by day. I'm going to do it a lot faster now!" _**Ichigo suddenly saw the ever-grinning face of his Hollow in his mind's eye and the image was getting closer. **_"I'm drawing closer to you now than I ever was before! And at this rate, I'm going to get much, much closer to you! I'm going to devour you! And then, you will disappear. Once you're gone, Rika-chan will be all mine." _**Ichigo stiffened at the threat to his life and his sister's safety.**_ "At this rate, things aren't looking too good for you. See ya!"_**

"What should I do?" Ichigo muttered. "If I don't do something, Rika will..." It was made very clear to him now that both Rika and his Hollow were interested in each other. While her interest in him was innocent in nature, her thinking that his Hollow was a split personality and therefore her brother as well, his interest clearly had some ulterior motive. While Ichigo did not know what it was, he knew one thing for sure: his Hollow desired Rika. Besides trying to hijack his body and wrecking havoc, getting Rika had become one of his objectives as well. To make matters worse, she had been getting less tolerant of his warnings about his Hollow.

Before he could think about it further, a blast of humongous reiatsu could be felt. It was so strong that it imitated a small earthquake that was felt by the entirety of Karakura Town, both living and dead. Everyone who was spiritually aware felt it very strongly, striking terror into their hearts. Those used to feeling huge amounts of reiatsu, namely Ichigo's and Urahara's group, was alarmed by it and felt the need for urgency to find the source.

"Nii-san!" Rika burst into the room with Karin behind her.

"Rika! Karin!" Ichigo would not have been so startled if Rika had been alone. With Karin around, he could not let her find out his double life as a Shinigami. "Sorry, Karin. Can you leave us alone until dinner?" he asked gently, trying to shoo his younger sister away. "We're feeling really tired and we want to rest."

"Are you going to check out whatever caused that feeling, Ichi-nii?" Karin did not buy his attempt to chase her away. His eyes widened in slight shock at being busted like that.

"What are you talking about, Karin? I'm not going anywhere," he tried to salvage the situation.

"Then why do you look like you're rushing to get somewhere? Don't lie to me, Ichi-nii! I already know that you and Rika-nee are Shinigamis!" Karin had asked if Rika was a Shinigami as well, and not one to lie, she admitted to being one.

"Rika, you...!" he could not believe she would just spill their secret like that. They swore to each other they would not involve their family in this!

"Don't blame Rika-nee. I already knew about you being a Shinigami before Rika-nee told me anything. I won't stop you or anything like that. Just... be careful, Ichi-nii, Rika-nee," Karin pleaded, both the older siblings noticing the sight of a single tear on her eyelids.

"Sorry, Karin," he apologized before pushing his Substitute Badge against his chest, pushing his soul out of his body. Rika did the same thing, looking at her younger sister with sorrowful eyes. "Let's go, Rika."

"Go on ahead, nii-san. I'll catch up soon," she told him. He nodded, knowing that she wanted to console Karin before leaving.

"Rika-nee..." Karin mumbled just as she was enveloped by a hug from her spiritual sister.

"We're really sorry for keeping this from you, Karin-chan. We had to do this to protect the family. We couldn't let you, Yuzu-chan and otou-san know," Rika apologized sincerely. "So please, don't tell either Yuzu-chan or otou-san alright? Promise me."

"I promise, Rika-nee. I won't tell them," Karin promised with a huge amount of reluctance. She could understand why her older siblings would do this but accepting it was so... hard.

"I'm sorry, Karin-chan. I'm really, really sorry..." Rika hugged her sister tighter.

"It's fine. Go and help Ichi-nii." Karin watched as her sister hopped out the window and into the sky before vanishing abruptly from her sight. "You'd better come back safe, Ichi-nii, Rika-nee..." she prayed before leaving their room and telling Yuzu that their siblings were not to be disturbed.

**Author's Note: Ichigo gets the warning about his Hollow a day early and Karin learns the truth about her older siblings being Shinigamis. Ichigo finally finds out that Hollow Ichigo wants Rika for something.**

**Being the more understanding and cautious of the two, Rika aids Shinji in passing the warning to Ichigo, knowing that he will listen to her rather than from Shinji himself. Although it does not do anything about his moping, Hollow Ichigo does reveal that he wants Rika for himself during his scaring of Ichigo.**

**Before they leave to investigate the source of the huge reiatsu that suddenly appeared, Karin confronts Rika rather than Ichigo about the truth that he is a Shinigami. Knowing that she is also spiritually aware and that she will not ask if she did not suspect anything wrong, Rika admits that the two of them are Shinigamis and seals a promise from Karin that she will not say anything about them to Yuzu and Isshin.**

**Next chapter will be the confrontation with Yammy and Ulquiorra. How will Rika fare against them and how will things change with her presence?**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	38. The First Contact

Ichigo had not spared any time waiting for Rika to finish her business at home. Though she took less than a minute, he did not want to risk anything, especially not the safety of any of his friends. He was right on the money, having arrived just in time to stop an attack that would have definitely taken out Inoue. He still believed he was too late, since Sado was already down and out with his armored arm a horrible mess with deep lacerations and even chunks of it missing. Rika joined him just as he activated his Bankai to utterly destroy the giant that was responsible for mutilating his stalwart friend.

After he blew away the pillar of reiatsu that came with his Bankai, Rika looked at him quizzically while Inoue seemed disturbed. They had sensed something different about his Bankai. The feeling of his reiatsu was rough and fierce, and heavier than normal. While Rika could easily ignore the odd change in his reiatsu, having been around it almost 24/7 ever since he became a Shinigami, Inoue could not do the same. She felt smothered by it and it gave her the feeling that Ichigo was no longer himself when he activated his Bankai. Rika on the other hand, felt as though she had sensed this oddity before but could not remember when.

"Back away, Inoue. Rika, guard her and Chad in case that other guy does something," he told them.

"Okay," both girls quickly went to Sado's side to heal and watch over him respectively. Ichigo quickly proved that he was more than a match for the giant of a man, easily blocking his punch by merely lifting Tensa Zangetsu in front of him with one hand. After getting an unsaid confirmation that he was the one who mutilated Sado's right arm, Ichigo brutally hacked off the man's right arm in a moment of ironic vengeance.

As Ichigo nimbly avoided the punches the giant threw with fury, Rika saw his partner watching her brother with analyzing eyes. She nearly missed it by his stone-like expression and perfect poker face. She had to thank Urahara for training her on her observation skills. She had tried to observe his fighting style and adjust to it during one of their spars but he quickly caught on and mixed everything up again. He utterly trashed her in that department, being able to observe and point out flaws in her attack patterns while hiding his own.

"You're having quite a time there, aren't you? Do you want me to fight him for you?" his smaller but clearly superior partner offered in a voice that was bare with emotions. It was a flat tone that gave away nothing.

"Shut up!" the giant snapped in frustration, grabbing the sword tied to his hip. Now that attention was on the weapon, both Kurosaki siblings noted that it was designed very similarly to Zanpakutous. They briefly wondered if it was one. These guys were clearly some kind of Hollow judging from the pieces of a broken Hollow mask attached to the face of the giant and head of his partner, and the visible hole on the former's chest.

"Are you going to use your Zanpakutou on a runt like this?" his partner asked.

"I told you to shut up!" he snapped again. The Kurosaki siblings displayed shock on their faces, their suspicions having been proven true.

_'That thing on his hip was a Zanpakutou after all?' _Ichigo thought out. _'A broken Hollow mask, a hole in his chest and a Zanpakutou... I thought I felt a strange reiatsu before even coming here. Just what are these guys?' _He was reminded of Shinji with his mask and his Hollow when he was possessed. _'Are they related to Hirako... and me?' _Just the possibility of that being true was enough for him to lose control of the tightly woven reiatsu he kept aside to keep his Hollow buried deep inside him.

_**"Switch with me!" **_His Hollow had broken through and speaking very clearly with him.

_'Shit! He's back!' _Ichigo cursed mentally as he lurched over, a hand gripping his face tightly as he tried to push his Hollow back down. The giant paused in drawing out the Zanpakutou just as Rika and Inoue looked at him in alarm. One because she finally recognized the oddity in her brother's reiatsu as being caused whenever he and his Hollow fought for control of his body and making his reiatsu fluctuate wildly, and the other because she sensed the latter happening.

_**"I can kick their asses if you switch out with me!" **_Hollow Ichigo offered rather civilly if Ichigo did not already know he just wanted to rampage with his body.

_"Get lost! Get lost! Get lost! Get lost!" he_ yelled back at him like a monk reciting a mantra trying to chase away an evil ghost. _"I'm your..." _Seeing the huge distraction, the giant landed a mighty kick to his gut, launching him backwards along with a lot of spit being forcefully ejected out of his mouth.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue grew desperate as she stopped her healing of Sado's wounds and ran past Rika to aid him.

"Wait! Inoue-senpai!" Rika chased after her, caught off-guard by her unexpected charge towards the enemy.

"Stay back, Inoue!" Ichigo warned as he regained his balance only to be knocked down to the ground. Inoue reached up to her hairpins to summon her Shun Shun Rikka only to be backhanded by the giant, her arm broken and knocked unconscious in an instant. Rika quickly caught her and laid her gently on the ground. Considering she was hit across the face and his hand was easily the size of her head, it was a miracle her neck had not snapped.

**"Play, Yukianesa," **she uttered with a cold fury as she glared at the giant who only looked back in amusement while stomping Ichigo down after he cried out for his friend. Despite her Zanpakutou still in its sheath, it still released at her command. She drew it and charged the giant, easily avoiding the backhand he tried to smack her with. Wide open without a second arm, he had no choice but to take the slash that went all the way from his left shoulder to his right thigh. Screaming in pain as he stumbled back, he roared in fury while glaring accusingly at her.

"What the hell did you do to me, you little bitch!" he yelled.

"I did nothing to you except making that brand new wound," she retorted. When she had slashed him, Yukianesa had mentioned with surprise that she absorbed a lot more reiatsu than she thought she would. She recalled this happening once before when they fought Zaraki Kenpachi. In other words, the giant was using reiatsu as armor, something that proved pretty much useless against Yukianesa's Shikai.

"Don't screw around with me! What did hell did you do to my Hierro!"

"That girl's reiatsu does not come close to Kurosaki Ichigo's own while his Bankai is active. Why are you struggling against such inferior trash, Yammy?" his partner asked.

"She just cut through my Hierro like it wasn't even there! I can still feel it, but it did nothing to resist this bitch's attack!"

"What?" this particular piece of news was something new. According to Aizen, this girl was Kurosaki Ichigo's sister, Kurosaki Rika. She had not obtained Bankai like her brother, or did not use it if she had, and was relatively unknown during their invasion to Soul Society. Now he had something new to report alongside the ability of the other girl named Inoue Orihime.

"Have you gone deaf, Ulquiorra? I just said that she cut through my Hierro like it's nothing!" Yammy was growing even angrier that he had to repeat something an insect had done to him.

"I heard you clearly the first time, Yammy," he replied, not wanting to explain anything to the near-brainless brute. While Yammy was yelling at Ulquiorra, Rika stood protectively in front of Ichigo.

"Now isn't the time to fight with him! Can't you two make a truce at a crucial time like this? Inoue-senpai and Sado-senpai are in danger right now!" Rika told him with slight anxiety. She did not want to reveal anything more about herself to Ulquiorra. Ichigo's Bankai was already known to them so it was more advantageous if he fought since they would learn nothing new.

_**"Rika-chan's so right, Ichigo! Let's make a truce. You switch with me and I'll kick their asses!" **_Hollow Ichigo cackled in Ichigo's head.

_"Like hell I will! Shut the hell up and get lost!" _Ichigo snarled at his Hollow. While he did go silent, Ichigo found himself unable to move his body. _"Bastard! I rejected you and now you're trying to get in my way? Damn it!" _Rika saw how he tried to move but only managed to make like he was shivering uncontrollably from the cold.

"Please, stop already! I don't want to see my brothers fighting!" she begged with a pleading look on her face.

_"Master, the front! The front!" _Yukianesa screamed inside her head. Rika snapped her head forward and saw Yammy just about to throw a massive punch at her. She rapidly threw an icicle at his fist, causing him to miss wildly as the massive stinging of frostbite took effect. While he was distracted, she quickly Shunpo-ed away with her brother, depositing him next to his friends.

"You damn insect!" Yammy opened his mouth wide and a red light began gathering in it. Recognizing it as a Cero, Rika realized the only option she had was to use her Koori no Ame to prevent the most damage. She could dodge it, but her brother and his friends would be in the direct line of fire. But if she did use it, she would be struck with reiatsu loss. She had only absorbed a mere 15%, with 5% already used with the icicle shot. She was left with little choice but to block it head-on and take the brunt of it. When the red beam of light flew towards her, she caught a glimpse of green and orange flashing in front of her before an explosion blinded her.

Yammy laughed victoriously until he spotted humanoid figures in the remaining smoke. The wind blew it away, revealing Urahara and Yoruichi standing in front of the already defending Rika. A canyon was separating her group from the enemies. It seemed to have been created by an exchange from the Cero and one of Urahara's attacks.

"You did a good job holding up until we arrived, Kurosaki-imouto-san. It would have been dangerous if you had blocked his Cero like that," he told her.

"I can't really do much else. Everyone is..." Rika looked behind her to show her point.

"It's alright. I understand."

"Who are you? What did you do?" Yammy demanded. "How were you able to do that to my Cero?"

"It's just as you saw it," Urahara answered smoothly. "If I had let this lady take your Cero, everyone would have been hurt. So I just negated it by hitting it with a similar attack."

"What did you say?"

"How about I show it to you again if you don't believe me?" he offered. **"Sing, Benihime!" **He struck out with a wide swing, shooting out a bright red energy wave at Yammy. Just before contact, Ulquiorra who had been standing back and observing, flashed in front of his partner and batted away the wave into the sky with just one arm and with no apparent damage. Yoruichi moved next, Shunpo-ing in front of him and tried to nail him with a kick but he dodged with some sort of Shunpo except with a booming sound, dragging his bigger partner along. He reappeared quite a distance back, looking at them with cold indifference before smashing a fist into Yammy's gut and sending him to one knee.

"What are you doing?" Yammy snarled through all the damage he had taken since losing his arm.

"You idiot. You're getting in over your head," Ulquiorra told him. "These two are Urahara Kisuke and Shihouin Yoruichi. At your current level, you wouldn't be able to defeat them." He walked past him and tapped the air with a finger. The air suddenly opened up like the mouth of a gruesome monster, showing a tunnel of whirling, torrential energy in it. "We're leaving."

"Are you running away?" Yoruichi asked.

"Such provocation is unlike you, Shihouin Yoruichi," he commented as he and Yammy stepped into the tunnel. "It's obvious who has the advantage when the two of you are trying to protect that worthless trash while fighting against us at the same time." Yoruichi remained silent, knowing it was true. Although her side had a one-man advantage, she doubted Rika could even hold a candle against him.

"I've completed the mission assigned to me. I am reporting in to Aizen-sama. I'm going to tell him that the Shinigami he had his eyes set on is trash that isn't even worth killing. His sister, perhaps, might be of more interest to Aizen-sama," he told them as the mouth of the tunnel closed.

"I knew it..." Rika muttered dejectedly as Ichigo's eyes widened in alarm as he stared at his sister.

"Kurosaki-imouto-san?" Urahara asked for an inquiry.

"They might have painted a target on my back. I believe that man named Ulquiorra is going to tell Aizen that my Shikai can cut through their reiatsu-based armor they call Hierro rather effortlessly," she explained. The two ex-Shinigami captains raised their eyebrows in surprise. They knew about Hierro. Rika was a little off in saying it was armor. It was more like reinforced skin though both served the same purpose. It was reiatsu-based as she said, but to cut through it without any sort of resistance?

"You're right, Rika. You are going to have a really huge target on your back," Yoruichi agreed with the younger Kurosaki. "But for now, we have to take care of the injured first. Here, take some of this," she handed her some pills, recognizing them as painkillers. Rika went to nearest person which was Inoue and gently shook her awake.

"Inoue-senpai, can you talk?" Rika asked softly.

"Yes... Thank you, Rika-chan..." Inoue replied very weakly. "How's... Kurosaki-kun...?" Rika took a look to the side and saw Ichigo looking very depressed over his performance today.

"Nii-san is fine. He wasn't hurt too badly," she answered. "Here. Can you swallow this, Inoue-senpai?" At her nod, she popped the pill into her mouth. "I'll give you some treatment when we get back, okay?"

"Okay..." Inoue managed to utter before slipping back into unconsciousness. When they returned to the Urahara Shop, they quickly administered first-aid to the three injured people. Yoruichi and Rika tended to Inoue, Urahara tending to Ichigo and the most seriously injured, Tessai tending to Sado. Once everyone was patched up, Ichigo paid a visit to Inoue. He apologized for being too weak to protect her. She tried to refuse it, telling him that it was her own fault for charging out like that so he should not apologize with the look of regret on his face.

Ichigo was the least injured and was able to get home under his own power. Rika had offered to accompany Inoue home but she wanted to spend the night at the shack. Later that night, Ichigo stuffed Kon and Ririn rather rudely into separate drawers because he wanted to speak with Rika privately. To his knowledge, out of all the allies he had, only Rika, maybe Byakuya too, was intimately familiar with the knowledge that he had a Hollow living inside of him and he wanted to keep it that way.

"Rika, I'll only ask this once. What do you think of _him_?" he asked.

"You mean your Hollow?" she identified the mystery 'him' very easily.

"Yeah."

"I don't think anything particularly bad about onii-" A quick glare from Ichigo made her switch her reference. "I mean your Hollow."

"Why?"

"He saved our lives. I know you keep saying that he's only saving your life because he's tied to you, and I know that. The fact doesn't change no matter how much you deny it, nii-san. He still saved your life, and for that I am very grateful to him."

"...He just tried to kill me back then."

"I know. You two were fighting for control again."

"...Why do you... like him so much?"

"Because he's my brother. And before you interrupt me by telling me he's not, let me explain why I refer to him as such."

"Shoot."

"I know he's a Hollow. And you were transforming into a Hollow back during the Shattered Shaft, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember that."

"You managed to become a Shinigami just before that transformation was complete. I believe that part of your soul had become him. If you had transformed into a Hollow completely, you would have totally become him."

"I get it. So you're saying that I'm him and he's me? That's it?"

"Yes. Regardless of which one of you it is, both of you will always be the brother that I admire and love. Do you understand now, why I call your Hollow 'onii-san'?" She hugged Ichigo tightly, being careful not to aggravate his bruised ribs.

"...Sorry, I still just can't accept him," Ichigo whispered into her ear, feeling her stiffen. "But I'll respect your feelings. I won't argue with you on this anymore."

"Thank you, nii-san," she accepted his decision wholeheartedly. "You aren't weak, nii-san. Not at all. You are one of the strongest people I know." She knew he was still depressed about the fight earlier in the day. She needed to rekindle his fighting spirit if they were to continue fighting.

"I couldn't protect anyone! Inoue, Chad, Tatsuki... And now Aizen has his eyes on you! I'm too weak!" he vented his frustrations.

"It's not that you're weak, nii-san. You aren't. You are just fighting with yourself. I won't tell you what to think about your Hollow, but you should hurry and settle things with him. Make a decision which you can both agree on before things get any worse and it's too late. And if you still think you're weak, the only thing left to do is to just get stronger. I know you can do it, nii-san."

"Yeah... I'm really glad you're here, Rika," he tightened the hug on his sister.

"Anytime, nii-san."

As days passed, Ichigo got no closer to finding a solution to his Hollow problem. Though Rika's encouragement had helped him overcome his fear of his Hollow and swear to Inoue that he would get stronger and protect her better, he left all his duties to Rika. He would rather not hear his Hollow taunting him whenever he went into his Shinigami form.

After a seemingly normal afternoon when school had ended, Rika went to her brother's classroom to wait for him since it was his turn for cleaning. To their huge surprise, five members of the Gotei 13, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Rangiku and Toushirou, came to pay them a visit wearing gigais that had donned their school uniforms. They had orders to join up with the Substitute Shinigami in preparation for the war against the Arrancars.

"Arran...who?" Ichigo was confused by the word.

"Arrancars, nii-san," Rika corrected him. "Am I right to say Arrancars are those men that have Hollow characteristics we fought a few days ago?"

"Who else can they be? Of course we're referring to those guys that almost tore you up the other day!" Both the Kurosaki siblings turned towards the window. Standing on the sill in a proud posture was Rukia. After basking in their stunned looks, she launched herself forward and kicked Ichigo square in the nose right into Renji who held him in place, letting her slap him freely.

"What the hell are you doing, Rukia?" he demanded, only to be slapped again. "You bitch!"

"What's with that cowardly face, huh?" she yelled back. She reached forward and grabbed his forehead, pulling out his Shinigami form from his body. He never noticed she had the glove used to remove souls on. "Come with me!"

"Hey, wait!" Rika tried to follow, taking out Ichigo's Substitute Badge from her skirt pocket. Just as she was about to eject her soul, she was stopped by Rangiku.

"Let Kuchiki handle your brother alone. You can lead us to your home. We have much to discuss concerning the Arrancars," Toushirou told her.

"Alright..." she redeposited the Badge back inside her pocket as she led the way to the Kurosaki household. The Shinigamis opted to sneak into her shared room and through the ceiling light no less. Toushirou was the exception, choosing to go in by the window. When Rika arrived in the proper manner, Ichigo was already home with Rukia waiting for the others to arrive. Once everyone settled in, he was quick to demand what the Arrancars were and why they were after him.

"Arrancars are Hollows who have removed their masks and gained the power of both Hollows and Shinigamis," Renji explained. "Up until now, there were few of them and they were all incomplete. But complete Arrancars have been created due to their contact with Aizen and his use of the Hogyoku. And there were two from the other day. You understand all this, don't you?"

"Yeah, I get it," he deadpanned. "I'd get it even better if you didn't use that sketchbook." Rukia had been using her poorly drawn pictures to emphasize Renji's explanation. She retaliated by throwing the book at his face at his insult. Renji went on to explain that Soul Society had planned on watching Aizen quietly until he moved. When the Arrancars were achieving complete forms and being sent to the Living World, they could no longer sit back and watch. The ones currently present were the ones selected by the Captain-Commander to support Ichigo.

"At any rate, Aizen has definitely developed an interest in you, Kurosaki Ichigo," Toushirou carried on the topic. "Arrancars are certainly born when a Hollow removes its mask. But the resulting mask-less Hollow is not much of a threat. If he was really going to war with Soul Society, then his objective in creating the Arrancars is to come up with something greater than the Menos."

"Greater than the Menos?" Rika repeated, catching the weird phrase along with her brother. "Are there Hollows than are stronger than the Menos?"

"Well, more specifically, there are three sub-divisions among the Menos," he replied. The first was the Gillian, the black tower-like Hollow that showed the Kurosaki siblings their very first Cero. To their shock, they were merely considered equal to foot soldiers since they were slow and dumb. A captain-class fighter could easily defeat them. But now the serious threat began.

The next level was the Adjuchas. They were smaller and fewer in number, but they were far more intelligent and several times more able in battle. They watched over the Gillian. Lastly was the Vasto Lorde, the greatest class of Menos. They were roughly the same size as humans and they numbered even less than the Adjuchas. However, their combat ability were even higher than a captain. When Menos got transformed into an Arrancar, they gained a huge amount of power as a result. If Aizen somehow had ten Vasto Lorde-class Arrancar under him, then Soul Society was doomed. Ichigo was just about to add that Aizen had found a new interest but Rika harshly pulled on his shirt, pleading with her eyes not to say anything. He nodded and remained silent as everyone thought about the upcoming war.

**Author's Note: Since this battle is more of an investigation on Ulquiorra's part than anything else, not many changes can be made without drastically changing the flow of the story.**

**Inoue and Sado still get hurt and while Ichigo does end up getting pummeled because of his Hollow, he is not that badly hurt because Rika steps up to the fray and gets Yammy's attention. Thanks to Yukianesa's absorption, Rika easily bypasses his Hierro's passive defense. However, unlike the time with Kenpachi, Yammy notices that his Hierro does not work and alerts Ulquiorra to it. Ulquiorra decides that information is worth mentioning to Aizen, similarly with Inoue's healing ability.**

**Yoruichi does not fight with Yammy since he is on high alert against Rika and shoots a Cero much earlier, so she does not fracture her limbs but she is now aware that the Arrancars possess Hierro.**

**Ichigo confronts Rika one last time concerning her connection with Hollow Ichigo. He really listens to her this time and accepts her feelings for his Hollow for what they are, but he will not accept his Hollow the way she does. In return, Rika will not try to change his thoughts about him and lets him do whatever he wants to settle his problems with Hollow Ichigo.**

**The next chapter will consist of Ulquiorra's report of his investigation and the beginning of Grimmjow's siege.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	39. Panther In Town

"We have returned, Aizen-sama," Ulquiorra announced his return once they had arrived in the unfinished palace of Las Noches.

"Welcome back, Ulquiorra, Yammy," Aizen greeted them, sitting on a makeshift throne. "Now, let me hear your report in front of your brothers and sisters. Show us everything that you saw and sensed in the Living World."

"Yes sir," Ulquiorra answered obediently. He plucked out his left eye without so much as a wince and held it out for everyone to see. "If you please." He then crushed the eyeball, turning it to dust as it swirled around everyone in the area, showing them an account of what took place during his mission from his point of view.

"I see," Aizen commented after a moment. "So that's why you decided he wasn't worth killing."

"Yes. Your orders were to kill him if he might become a problem."

"That's stupid!" one of the Arrancars standing around loudly exclaimed. Ulquiorra turned his head slightly to look at the owner of the voice. "I'd have killed that sorry punk with my first attack."

"Grimmjow," Ulquiorra identified the speaker, a blue-haired man with a feral-looking face.

"It doesn't matter what kind of logic you use. If the word kill appears in your orders, then it's obvious that you're supposed to go ahead and kill the person," Grimmjow spoke about his own interpretation of the orders.

"I feel the same way. He's our enemy either way. Perhaps there's no reason to kill him, but there's no reason to let him live, either," an Arrancar from behind Grimmjow said.

"By the way Yammy, you got your ass kicked, huh? With you looking like that, it's more like you couldn't kill him rather than him not being worth killing," Grimmjow mocked the beaten Arrancar besides Ulquiorra.

"Grimmjow, you bastard. Weren't you watching? The ones who beat me up was that girl and the guy in sandals," Yammy reminded him.

"You just don't get it, do you? I'd have killed those two in one hit, too!"

"What did you say?" Yammy started to get riled up.

"Stop it," Ulquiorra gestured for Yammy to stand down. He explained to Grimmjow that what Aizen was looking out for was not the current state of Ichigo, but rather his potential. However, that potential was probably too huge and unbalanced and could possibly destroy the boy if left alone. That was the sole reason he did not kill him.

"That's exactly why I said it's stupid!" Grimmjow reiterated himself. "What're you gonna do if he gets strong enough to take us on?"

"If it comes to that, I will finish him myself," Ulquiorra answered firmly with no room for argument. "Now you don't have anything to complain about."

"That's right. I don't mind if that's the case," Aizen agreed with Ulquiorra. "You may do as you see fit, Ulquiorra."

"Thank you very much," he positioned an arm across his chest and bowed at his commander respectfully with Grimmjow glaring spitefully at the stoic Arrancar.

Back at the Living World at the Kurosaki household, Renji and Rangiku were messing around with Kon, discussing about how gikongan could be used on dolls. Ririn was frightened by the sight and hurriedly went to cling to Rika for protection. She did not feel any sort of sympathy for her fellow Mod Soul, though. His personality was as low as they came and she could care less about him... unless it concerned his life. Ichigo quickly regained their attention, asking when the Shinigamis were going to return to Soul Society.

"What are you talking about? We aren't going back," Renji replied. "We're going to be here until the fight with the Arrancars is over."

"Well, where are you going to sleep?" Ichigo asked. "And before you answer, there's no way our house has enough space for all of you!"

"Not even for me?" Rangiku asked in a childish tone, seemingly finding the refusal unexpected.

"Um... Matsumoto-san is a grown woman, and in a house like this... You would probably be the last person nii-san would allow to stay," Rika told her rather awkwardly.

"Besides, I don't even get why you think it would be okay for you to stay here!" Ichigo quickly followed up just as awkwardly. As a response, Rangiku proceeded to unbutton the only button that kept her decency barely in check. Her bust was just way too big to button all the way up. Turning red instantly, Rika screamed and turned away, feeling even more embarrassed than any of the men in the room. Only Renji and Kon were looking forward to it.

"What are you doing? You can't stay here even if you unbutton your shirt!" Ichigo yelled at her. She then lifted her skirt to give him a little peak underneath. "You still can't stay here even if you lift up your skirt a little! Damn it! Seduction isn't going to work on me! I'm definitely not that type of guy!" he refused to give in, closing his eyes with his hands with one just barely open. Rukia commented on that, telling him to close that gap if he really was not interested.

When evening fell, everyone had decided where they would spend their nights. Rangiku and Toushirou had decided to stay with Orihime without asking for any prior permission. She reasoned that the girl could never say no when someone asked her a favor. Renji would be staying at Urahara's, claiming that he had a few things to ask the man. Rukia decided that she would crash in their closet again. It was the only place in the Living World she could really sleep in. Ikkaku and Yumichika were the only ones who had nowhere to stay and left to search for one.

Rukia brazenly charged through the front door and encountered the family getting ready for dinner. She came up with a story that because of a tragedy that had befallen her, she had lost her place to live, her food, and all of her money all at once. Ichigo and Rika looked away in blatant disbelief because her story was way too exaggerated to be a believable lie. Unfortunately, Yuzu and Isshin were suckers for sap stories to even register that it was too false to have an ounce of truth in it.

"Let her stay, otou-san!" Yuzu jumped into her father's arm, tears flowing freely down her face.

"Well said, Yuzu! I was thinking the exact same thing just now! Stay here as long as you like, Rukia-chan!" Isshin granted her permission with a thumbs-up. Glad that it worked, Rukia shot her own thumbs-up to the older pair of siblings.

"Try to be a little more subtle with the thumbs-up. They'll realize this is just an act," Ichigo deadpanned. The trio watched Isshin run up to the poster of Masaki and wept on it, calling Rukia their fourth daughter. "Although, with them going on like that, it doesn't look like they'll notice," he commented on his father's questionable actions. Only Rika noticed Karin eyeing Rukia critically and squeezed her shoulder gently to ease her building tension.

"Don't worry about her, Karin-chan. She's our friend," Rika assured her.

"Rika-nee, is she... one of you?" Karin whispered, not wanting to chance their father or her twin hearing the word Shinigami.

"Yes. She was the one who introduced us to the world of the afterlife. Our first Shinigami," she replied. Karin merely nodded in acceptance, not saying anything else. Later that night, Isshin had ordered a bed for Rukia and it was placed in the twins' room, barely having any free space left for easy movement. If not for the fact Rukia had nothing on her and could borrow clothes from Yuzu, she probably would been told to sleep on Ichigo's bed and him told to sleep on the sofa. Those were the reasons why Rika was forced to share a room with her brother even though it was improper at their ages.

At the same time, a Garganta opened up high above Karakura Town, and Grimmjow stepped out from the tunnel. He sat down lazily at the rooftop of a building, waiting for his followers to arrive. When another Garganta opened up near him, he glanced up to see all five of them.

"No-one saw you, right?" he asked as he stood up.

"Of course not," the tallest one answered. "Grimmjow!" he called after a moment.

"What?"

"I felt several strong reiatsu on the way here. That doesn't match up with Ulquiorra's information," he told him.

"Tch!" Grimmjow was not amused. "Start a full-blown search with Pesquisa!" Everyone closed their eyes to focus on their spiritual sensing, detecting quite a number of strong reiatsu. "It's just as I thought. They're really multiplying. So they called for backup from Soul Society?" Grimmjow opened his eyes, his inspection done. "If he wasn't so full of shit and just killed them to start with, it wouldn't be such a pain in the ass now. That's why you're stupid, Ulquiorra." He did a quick roll call before giving the order to take over the area and killing anyone who had reiatsu, no matter how small.

"Everyone locked on one of them?" he asked with a feral grin. "There's no holding back or worrying about gender. Kill anyone with the slightest shred of reiatsu! Don't let a single one escape. Let's go!" Everyone then shot out in different directions in search of their targets. It was at that moment their targets were notified of their presence.

"This reiatsu...! It's them!" Ichigo recognized the special feel of an Arrancar's reiatsu. "Rukia!"

"I know," Rukia was already looking at her phone to find the location of the Arrancars. "There are six of them! So many!"

"Are they headed this way?" Ichigo asked, not wanting his family to get caught in the crossfire.

"No, it looks like they're going after people with reiatsu, but not us."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means they're going to attack anyone with reiatsu regardless of their strength. They're just trying to kill everyone with reiatsu, no matter how little they have!"

"Ririn, come here!" Rika called over for her Mod Soul. Knowing the severity of the situation, Ririn acted obediently. Rika took her brother's badge and gently popped out her gikongan and hastily swallowed it. "Take care of my body, Ririn!"

"Leave it to me!" Ririn assured her owner. Rika remained on standby as she listened how Ichigo listed down his allies. Ishida had no reiatsu, having lost them in Soul Society, and Inoue was safe with Rangiku and Toushirou staying at her apartment. As for Sado, Inoue's Shun Shun Rikka was healing him at his home where he was all alone. To make matters worse, one of the Arrancars was after him. The three of them quickly took off to his location before Sado could be attacked.

Along the way, Rika froze in her tracks. She had detected an Arrancar who was not moving. Was it searching for someone in particular? Or waiting for something to happen? All she knew was that her group was the closest to it. She informed Ichigo about its presence and he acknowledged it, but Sado's safety came first. They arrived just in the nick of time, saving Sado from a deathblow from an Arrancar.

Sado was noticeably shaken, knowing that he could have been dead if not for his friend's timely arrival. He was shaken even more when Ichigo told him to stay back and leave the Arrancar to him. He realized thatt he was no longer strong enough to fight by his side, but nonetheless agreed and ran off. Rukia just arrived and asked what he said to Sado.

"Nothing. I just told him to leave this to me and stay back," he replied, not taking his eyes of the Arrancar. She scrutinized him for a moment before ordering him to fall back. "Huh? What are you-" Then he noticed the gikongan dispenser in her hand. "You... That's..."

"I'm telling you to fall back and leave this to me," she repeated, popping out a pill and swallowing it. "You're way too tense." Her Shinigami form separated from her gigai, surprising Ichigo. "People who get like that before a fight end up dying when they shouldn't." Ichigo was surprised that her Shinigami powers had returned and she explained that the gigai Urahara had her use was the reason why her powers did not return. It made sense that her powers would be restored if she removed the gigai and stayed in Soul Society where it was overflowing with spirit particles.

Rika had not heard anything of what happened to the Bounts during her brother's second trip to Soul Society. According to what Rukia was saying, they could absorb the spirit particles in Soul Society to enhance their powers and heal any wounds they received. Apparently, Shinigamis also had that ability, just not as quickly as the Bounts could. Before Ichigo could question her any further, the artificial soul inhabiting Rukia's gigai suddenly pounced on Ichigo with an extremely big smile on her face.

Ichigo struggled to get the hyper soul out of his face as he demanded an explanation from Rukia. She explained that the artificial soul's name was Chappy, the most popular artificial soul among female Shinigamis. Rika was definitely not a fan from first impression as she helped to peel the soul away from him. She would pick Ririn over Chappy any day. Halfway through her explanation, the Arrancar went in for an attack, not wanting to wait any longer. Rukia was alert enough to block him although she was forced back quite a distance. He pushed her away after the momentum from his charge wore off and she leaped off a telephone pole to boost her own momentum as she swung her Zanpakutou at him. He merely blocked with his arm, showing another example of the Hierro Arrancars possessed.

"I'm Arrancar Sixteen, D-Roy," he introduced himself, grinning like a predator.

"I'm from Division 13..." Rukia started her own introduction as honor deemed it.

"Yeah, skip it," D-Roy told her. "If I had to listen to everyone who I was gonna kill tell me their name, there'd be no end to it."

"I see," Rukia broke off from him, standing back at a reasonable distance. "Then at the very least, you would do well to learn the name of my Zanpakutou." She turned her sword arm in a counter-clockwise motion as the ordinary-looking katana turned into a beautiful, pristine white Zanpakutou with a long white ribbon coming out from the pommel. **"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki." **D-Roy appeared stunned by the Shikai and Rukia quickly took advantage. **"Some no Mai..." **D-Roy snapped out of his daze when she disappeared from his sight via Shunpo. **"Tsukishiro!" **Her blade glowed and she made a slashing motion but did not actually hit him as she stood a short distance behind him. The ground beneath them formed a large ice circle that started to freeze him from his feet up.

"What the hell is this?" D-Roy demanded as the ice crept up to his waist. Before it could go any higher, he broke free and stood in the air. "Tough luck, Shinigami! My true battlefield is the sky! A sword that freezes the ground can't hit an airborne target!" he taunted.

"What a pity," Rukia simply said as the ice circle emitted a pillar of light around its circumference that extended up and through the clouds before the area inside was frozen, including D-Roy. "Sode no Shirayuki doesn't simply freeze the ground. Everything within this circle, both earth and sky is within Sode no Shirayuki's frozen domain!" When she turned around to face Ichigo, she saw him pinned to the ground by Chappy who was experimenting how many ways his arm could bend while Rika looked around very warily, no doubt trying to sense if any of the other Arrancars were headed their way. As Rukia approached them and reprimanded Ichigo and Chappy for fooling around, Rika's eyes widened. An Arrancar had entered her sensory range and it was the same one who had not been moving prior to saving Sado.

"Someone's coming!" she warned just as reiatsu blasted around them, letting them know the Arrancar had arrived.

"What the hell? D-Roy's been killed?" a man's voice commented like the death of his ally meant nothing to him. All three looked up to see an Arrancar standing in the air and looking down at them with a wild smirk. "Whatever. I'll just have to kill all three of you then! It's a pleasure to meet you, Shinigami. I'm Arrancar Six, Grimmjow!"

All three of them were intimidated by his reiatsu as he descended to the ground. Unlike Ichigo who was being mauled by Chappy during Rukia's fight, Rika had took note of D-Roy and it was very clear to her and Rukia that this man was worlds apart from him just by the level of reiatsu alone.

"Which one?" Grimmjow asked, drawing everyone's attention. "I'm asking which one of you is the strongest?" Rukia was the first to respond to the threat, or perhaps the first to lose her composure, since she actually took her eyes off the enemy.

"Damn! Ichigo, Rika! We have to retreat!" She was answered by getting her stomach punctured by a hand courtesy of Grimmjow. The siblings barely saw his movements.

"I figured it wasn't you," Grimmjow stated knowingly. "That leaves two. Which one?" he asked again as he unceremoniously dumped Rukia behind him with a shake of his arm.

"Rukia!" Ichigo cried as he charged towards Grimmjow, wanting to make him pay for fatally wounding her. His charge was halted by Grimmjow flaring his reiatsu. He went in for the attack again, this time with Shunpo. He was stopped again, this time by a lazy raise of an arm. Only a dull thud could be heard when Zangetsu's edge met Grimmjow's skin. It was the Hierro again. Grimmjow smirked at him before channeling his reiatsu to the contact point and blowing Ichigo away like a shotgun blast into the air.

"Hey, Shinigami, quit yanking my chain. I don't wanna waste my time killing you as you are now," he told him with a bored expression. "I'm giving you a break so you can get your Bankai out! Do it, or else I'll punch you full of holes like I did to that Shinigami over there! You too, woman! Show me what you did to Yammy!" Both responded to his taunts, releasing their Bankai and Shikai respectively.

Grimmjow smirked as excitement built up in him. While he hated Ulquiorra, he knew the bastard never lied about anything. That orange-haired kid hacked off Yammy's arm with little resistance while in Bankai, and his sister was somehow able to cut through his Hierro effortlessly. Grimmjow had no doubts the orange-haired kid was strong, and wanted to test for himself how strong. The sister however...

He mentally scoffed at how Yammy made an excuse about how that woman cut through his Hierro without any implied resistance. Through his own Pesquisa, he could tell the sister had less reiatsu than her brother. So either Yammy was weaker than Grimmjow thought he was, or the woman was stronger than her reiatsu spoke of. He was not going to believe the suspicions of Ulquiorra and Yammy that her Shikai could cut through an Arrancar's Hierro like 'nothing'. Well, she had her Shikai out now, so he was somewhat looking forward to proving them wrong and then mocking Yammy over how weak his Hierro was even though he was one of the top ten Arrancars.

"Let's rock, Shinigami!" Grimmjow initiated the fight, making both siblings charge towards him. The orange-haired kid seemed eager to fight, so he would entertain him first. He would find out for himself what was really so special about the two siblings.

**Author's Note: This chapter is merely for building up the upcoming fight and Grimmjow's first thoughts and impressions of the Kurosaki siblings.**

**Nothing really changes here, but you can expect major changes in the first fight between Ichigo and Grimmjow. For one, Rika is there. For another, she will also be deeply involved in Ichigo's Vizard training. There will be plenty of changes to look forward to from this point on.**

**And lastly, there will be a surprise fight in the making for a future chapter! And when I say fight, I mean a fight! Not training, not sparring, a FIGHT! I will say Rika is a participant in it, but who is/are her mystery opponent/s? Will she fight one or multiple? Does anyone care to make a guess? He/She/They will be canon characters, so take your pick!**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers!**


	40. Struggle From Inside And Out

Grimmjow proved to be a very capable fighter as he easily kept up with Ichigo's speed in Bankai. Not only was his Hierro so thick even Tensa Zangetsu could not cut him, he was keeping strictly to punches and kicks, not bothering to draw the Zanpakutou he kept in plain sight. He had no reason to; Ichigo could not cut him. Why guard with a weapon when your skin was hard enough?

Grimmjow descended back to the ground and backed away as Ichigo slammed Tensa Zangetsu's tip into the ground, knocking up a huge dust cloud. He looked around for a moment before sensing Grimmjow and swung out. His blade was grabbed without harm as Grimmjow pulled him inwards. He then threw him backwards for almost the entire length of the street before Ichigo regained footing and jumped into the sky. He was nearly caught off-guard as Grimmjow suddenly appeared in front of him with a punch cocked and halfway to his face. Ichigo Shunpo-ed out of the way and reappeared just a little to the side for a counterattack as the punch missed. However, he was stopped by Grimmjow grabbing the blade with his other hand.

"What the hell is this guy?" Ichigo thought out loud, not caring that he was speaking right in front of his opponent. Just that one statement was enough to distract him from seeing the kick until it was already too late to avoid it. The kick slammed into his torso, emitting a sonic boom upon contact. That was how hard and fast the kick was. It was so much stronger than the kick Yammy delivered to him. Blood and spit flew out from his mouth as he was sent spinning head over heels back all the way back down to the town and crashing in the middle of a traffic junction.

As he struggled back to his feet, he thought about how he had immediately maneuvered the fight away from Rukia and Rika. He wanted to finish this guy alone because although he knew Rika was now capable of fighting alongside him, she was not as durable as him. Rukia getting impaled with an arm was more than enough to earn his wrath, but if Rika was to get impaled as well... He would kill this guy, even if he died doing so. He would then find him in Hell and kill him one more time.

By the time he got into a vertical base, he saw Grimmjow diving in a free fall towards him. He prepped Tensa Zangetsu and swung out when he got in striking range. The swing was met with Grimmjow's fist, and Ichigo's eyes were drawn to his other hand which was about to draw his Zanpakutou. Instead of seeing a sword being drawn from the sheath, he was suddenly seeing the buildings to the side, barely registering the kick to his face. Just like before, the kick was strong enough to send him tumbling like a rag doll down the street before slamming into a railing.

"I guess that's all he's got, huh? Hardly worth my time," Grimmjow snorted in disgust at how weak Ichigo was. He then smirked ferally as he turned his head slightly to look behind him. "How about you, Shinigami woman? Are you worth my time?" Rika had finally caught up with their high-speed fight throughout the town and she was definitely holding back a lot of anger just by how hard she was gripping her Zanpakutou.

Rika charged forward with a battle cry, Zanpakutou raised high for an overhead swing. His smirk fell, feeling that she was going to prove to be the same disappointment her brother was. Arm raised for a lazy guard as she swung down, his bored expression turned to shock as pain burned through his arm, a huge slash that cut nearly to the bone. Before the pain registered completely, he struck out with a kick which she was already expecting and backed away to a safe distance.

"...Keh. Looks like Yammy wasn't lying when he said his Hierro did nothing against that sword of yours," Grimmjow's grin returned to his face as he inspected his wound. "Looks like you'll be a little more entertaining than that brother of yours." He unsheathed his Zanpakutou, ready to let steel meet steel. This woman was not worthy enough for him to draw his sword, but he accepted the fact he could not fight her like he did with her brother without great risk to himself.

Rika moved to the offensive, raining blows left and right on Grimmjow who blocked them with incredible ease. He started to taunt her, asking if that was all she had. In response, she threw an icicle at point blank range at his face. He batted it away with his free hand, and she had to bite down a smirk.

"The hell...!" he cursed as his hand stung very painfully. He narrowly avoided the following slash threatening to cleave his upper body off, the blade only nicking the surface of his skin as he jumped back. Snarling in displeasure, he went to the offensive this time. The woman was barely keeping up with him, yet she was somehow still able to deflect or block all his strikes. Halfway through his relentless attacks, he sensed reiatsu flowing out of her. At that moment, she deflected his swing just hard enough for her to get in one swing of her own.

**"Koori no Ame!" **she called out the name of her attack and swung down. Rika realized her guard was about to be broken by Grimmjow's relentless assault and went for a desperate counterattack. It was only her luck that Yukianesa entered Overflow. The miniature icicles were aimed slightly downwards, creating an ice wall a short distance away. She saw Grimmjow dodge it with some form of high-speed movement like Ulquiorra did a few days ago.

"Too slow!" Grimmjow shouted from behind her. Rika barely had time to raise her guard and block his sword, but nothing prevented his kick that connected with her side. She nearly bent in half sideways as she shot down the street and smashed through her own ice wall, ending up in front of Ichigo as he was just starting to recover.

"Rika!" he shouted out in worry as she started picking herself up while hacking and coughing out blood. Her breathing soon stabilized as she used the remaining time of Overflow to heal her wounds while Grimmjow was taking a leisurely walk towards them. Once her bruises were partially healed and the pain dulled, she went right back at him. His grin got bigger as she returned for a second round of beatings.

He went for a side swing which was guarded but before he could go with a second strike, Rika slipped away. He nearly lost his footing from the overextending and received a rather deep slash to his own side with no support whatsoever from his Hierro. He reacted with a punch and nearly had his fingers cut off from the knuckles as she guarded with the edge of her Zanpakutou, knowing he would wound himself that way.

Painfully reminded that it was a terrible idea to brawl with her, he swung his Zanpakutou at her and once again nearly lost his footing from the weird way she was guarding his more powerful swings. However, he knew better this time not to put so much power and momentum behind any single attack and managed to guard against her counterattack. They went back and forth like this for a while, neither giving an inch. A battle-crazed look was in Grimmjow's eyes as they continued exchanging unsuccessful blows.

Grimmjow realized he had been suckered into making the offensive. This woman's specialty was fighting defensively, and hell she was good at it! He was definitely looking forward to destroying her guard, hence why he was so excited. He could tell her blows were not as hard as her brother's, but with Hierro nullified when she did land one, what did it matter? He had sensed her flare her reiatsu for a minute or so, but could not decipher what it was for. He quickly put that thought at the back of his mind as he guarded another counter-swing.

When he engaged her into a power struggle, she quickly broke off, backing away a short distance. So the woman knew she would not win in a contest of strength. Well then, how about a contest of speed? Grimmjow was vastly faster than her, using his Sonido to start mixing up his attacks. She began to react at a split-second timing, barely able to keep up. He managed to get in a deep slash to her back after her Shunpo used to escape his lightning-quick blows began to slow down from continuous use. She stumbled forward right into his waiting knee, digging it deep into her torso. She bent over forward, blood and spit forcefully ejected out of her mouth. Not disgusted in the least that his pants were dirtied, he smashed a fist into her face, sending her into a skid of destruction as her body carved trenches into the road.

"You bastard!" Ichigo had regained his bearings thanks to the time bought by Rika but it did little to help him. He charged towards Grimmjow carelessly and tried another futile attempt to wound the Arrancar. Even so, he refused to acknowledge that he was severely outmatched. He could not afford to lose here, not when his friends' lives are in danger. More importantly, the lives of his family.

"Get out of my way!" Grimmjow delivered an uppercut to him, sending him high into the sky before Sonido-ing above him and kicking him back down into the crater in the junction. "Is that all there is to a Bankai?" he spat to the side in disgust. "Don't disappoint me, Shinigami! Is your speed the only thing that Bankai increases?" He then caught Rika just standing up out of the corner of his eyes. She had an arm wrapped around her torso gently as she heaved for air, blood still dripping from her mouth and forehead. "Good, you're up. You'd better not disappoint me too, Shinigami woman!" He charged towards her, Zanpakutou ready to shed more blood. Just when he was inches away from her, he heard her whisper.

**"Fuyu no Kata..." **she slowly raised her arm around her torso up in a guarding motion, similar to how Grimmjow guarded against Ichigo's attacks earlier on only her palms were facing outwards. With no warning whatsoever, an ice cocoon materialized out of thin air, encasing her inside just as Grimmjow's sword touched the cocoon. His entire left arm was immediately encased in ice and he could not break it or pull himself free. He then felt Rika gather an impossibly huge amount of reiatsu into her Zanpakutou, causing it to glow an extremely bright white. She moved her Zanpakutou in a graceful motion as her feet were positioned for a quick burst of speed.

"Damn it!" Grimmjow tried to form a Cero in his left hand to blow away the ice encasing the arm, but was shocked when he could not feel his left arm at all, let alone gather reiatsu there. It was like he did not even have a left arm in the first place. He saw Rika vanish in a burst of Shunpo and felt a blinding pain as his chest spurted out blood from a diagonal slash just as the cocoon broke like a mirror. He knew she had used Shunpo to move forward and past him while delivering a massive attack to him the instant the cocoon dropped. Grimmjow screamed in agony as he glared at Rika's back. The ice on his left arm shattered along with the cocoon, but the feeling of absolute numbness remained. He still could not feel anything with it, not even the air.

**"Yukikaze," **she spoke in a serene voice as the wind from the abrupt stop of her Shunpo blew her hair like a calm breeze and the reiatsu gathered in her Zanpakutou dissipated, the glow fading away into snow crystals that dissolved into the atmosphere. Grimmjow hastily Sonido-ed away high in the sky, Rika simply looking at him with her eyes burning with cold determination despite her heavy breathing.

**"Getsuga... Tenshou!" **Grimmjow's eyes widened at hearing the voice of Ichigo. He turned to see a black energy wave outlined by crimson red heading towards him from where Ichigo had last crashed at. Putting up his right arm for a guard, he took the attack head-on, getting even more injuries, and the only injury from Ichigo. His right arm and chest where he was just slashed by Rika were covered in burns. "Don't forget I'm still around, Grimmjow!" Ichigo called up to him, panting heavily from exertion.

"What the hell was that? Ulquiorra didn't tell me about that move, Shinigami!" Grimmjow smirked down at Ichigo, glad that he had finally been able to injure him.

"Am I still disappointing you, Arrancar?" Ichigo sniped back with a smirk of his own, causing him to laugh madly in pleasure.

"Bring it on, Shinigami! Now I can say that there is a reason to kill you now!" he acknowledged Ichigo's potential in his own way. He would kill him right here and now rather than wait for him to 'self-destruct'. Once dead, there was no chance that he would be able to bring that potential under control.

_**"Ichigo, what are you smirking about?" **_Hollow Ichigo spoke up from within Ichigo's mind as inky black darkness began to creep over his left eye. _**"You seem pretty sure of yourself, DON'T YOU!" **_Ichigo hunched over, a hand over the left side of his face as he tried to push his Hollow back down.

_"Wait... just a bit longer..." _he told him.

_**"How far do you think you can get on your own?" **_he scoffed in disbelief. **_"You really think you could have lasted this long without Rika-chan buying you time?"_**

_'Damn! He's barely injured...' _he took note of the wounds caused by his own attack, absentmindedly wondering how Rika managed to score that huge attack scarring Grimmjow's chest prior to the burns of the Getsuga Tenshou. _'Is that all a direct hit with Getsuga Tenshou will do to him?' _Ichigo gripped his face as he thought about his Hollow and the black Getsuga Tenshou. _'The black Getsuga Tenshou was originally his technique. If I use it, will he appear more quickly?'_ Ichigo could feel his Hollow watching him from the inside of his soul with mocking eyes. _'At best, I can get off two or three more before he takes over. What do I do?'_

"Hey! Don't space out on me, Shinigami!" Grimmjow noticed Ichigo's sudden weird behavior. No-one noticed the Garganta opening a short distance away from him. "Now it's my turn!" Before he could charge at Ichigo, a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Sheathe your sword, Grimmjow," it was the former 9th Division captain, Tousen.

"Tousen!" he exclaimed as he sheathed his sword. "Why the hell're you here?"

"Why, you ask? You really don't know?" Tousen questioned. After getting silence from the Arrancar, he proceeded to explain himself. "You take it upon yourself to invade the Living World, mobilize five Arrancars and then lose them in battle. You are in violation of your orders. You understand, don't you? Aizen-sama is furious, Grimmjow." Grimmjow could only sneer as Tousen walked past him to open a Garganta. "Come. Your punishment will be decided in Hueco Mundo."

"Whatever," he relented, following behind Tousen.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Ichigo demanded.

"Shut your ass up. We're going back to Hueco Mundo," Grimmjow replied.

"Don't play games with me! You come here, attack us, and just leave on a whim? You gotta be kidding me! Get your ass back here! We're not finished here!"

"Nii-san, calm down!" Rika had gotten to his side while Tousen was talking to Grimmjow. "You can't win against him, not right now!" While she had not seen the fight between her brother and Grimmjow, she knew enough when it was her turn to face him. He had no injuries of any kind on him when they engaged.

"But you can! I don't know how you did it, but you can take him on!" he was being too hot-headed to think logically at the moment.

"Give me a break!" Grimmjow yelled from above. "So what if that woman can hurt me? Once I take her out, you're done for! Me leaving is the only thing that's saving you, Shinigami!" It was only then did Ichigo realize the severity of his situation. "I can tell just by looking at you that that technique damages your body. You can only handle two or three more shots." Ichigo was surprised that he figured it out so easily. "And even if you could fire those off without limits, you still wouldn't stand a chance against my released form!"

"Released form?" Ichigo repeated.

"You heard me! With how you are right now, your best chance against my released form would be that sister of yours. If she can keep up with me, that is! I know she's already on her last legs. One more hit from me and she'll probably drop. So don't go forgetting my name! Just pray you never hear it again! Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez! The next time you hear this name will be your last, Shinigami!" With that said, the Garganta finally closed on him, leaving the siblings alone. A while later, Renji arrived to see Rika leaning on Ichigo for support, thoroughly pushed to her limits.

"The Arrancars have returned to Hueco Mundo, huh?" he asked. "Did you win?"

"We lost," Ichigo stated, not looking at Renji as he brought Rika in further to support her better.

"You dumbass. You're alive. That means you won," he did not believe his statement.

"Don't lie to me," Ichigo busted the weak attempt at consolation. "If you were me, you wouldn't say that." Ichigo gritted his teeth at the horrible loss. "I couldn't protect anyone. And I couldn't defeat those who wounded us. We lost... and I'm the biggest loser. Rika did her best... She protected me when I was down... She managed to inflict a huge injury when I couldn't even cut him... I'm pathetic."

"That's not true, nii-san..." Rika told him, her voice barely above a whisper. "I only did as well as I could because of my Shikai, nothing more... I would have done so much worse than you if not for that..."

"That so...?" his tone indicated that he was not sure what to believe. They soon took off to where Inoue was so she could heal everyone. As Rukia was being healed, Inoue saw the look of utter regret on his face despite his sister laying a comforting hand on his lap. After everyone was healed, Rukia berated him on blaming himself for her wounds and to stop making that pathetic face. She then went on to ask about his inner Hollow and suggested he go to Urahara for help.

He told her that he did not want to ask him for help. Urahara probably already knew about his situation without being told. If he had a solution to that, he would have told him before they headed to Soul Society for the first time. He did enough by training him and was grateful for that, and did not want to hound the man with questions. Early the next morning, Ichigo tried sneaking out of the house to search for Shinji. He no longer had a choice. At the rate he was going, he was done for.

"Are you going to find Hirako-san and his group, nii-san?" Rika asked just as he was about to leave.

"...Yeah," he admitted. She was just too sharp to lie directly to, not to mention already knowing the growing problems between him and his Hollow. "Rika, I want you to-"

"No," she refused without even hearing his request. She already knew what it was. "I want to see for my own eyes how you're going to settle your problems with him. I promised that I will not interfere with how you do it, but if it boils down to one of you being killed or something similar..."

"That's exactly why I don't want you to come. You're only going to get hurt," he understood her intentions perfectly.

"I don't mind. If that is how things end up, at the very least... I want to be there to say goodbye to my brother..." her voice started choking, telling him just how wounded her heart really was.

"...Come on, let's go," he allowed her to follow. He knew the possibility that he might lose to his Hollow was very real. If that happened, Rika had every right to bid him farewell and he would not take that away. If he won the battle for his soul, she wanted to do the same for his Hollow. Just like she promised not to interfere, he had promised to respect her feelings for his Hollow and he would honor it. Either way, she would be extremely hurt, and she knew and accepted that fact.

They made their way to an isolated part of town where abandoned factory buildings were located. They winded through the buildings until they came across one that emitted a weird aura and the metal garage door was open when every other building they passed were closed. This was the place where Shinji and his group resided. When they walked in, the door closed on its own.

"Good job finding this place, Ichigo," Shinji's voice resonated throughout the building. When they looked up, they saw seven other people and Shinji standing on various levels of broken concrete. "Looks to me like you finally decided to join us... Huh?" It was only then he noticed a second person partially hidden from his sight from where he was standing. Taking a closer look, he recognized who it was. "Rika-chan? Why are you here?"

"Good morning, Hirako-san, everyone," she greeted the Vizards courteously. "I'm here to... see how nii-san goes through his training. And for moral support."

"I don't need that kind of thing..." Ichigo deadpanned at Rika's dry humor.

"Hmm... well, I suppose it can't hurt since you did help pass the message and save my time. Welcome, Rika-chan!" Shinji welcomed her warmly before turning back to Ichigo. "So, Ichigo, you're here because you finally decided to join us, right?"

"Yeah, right!" he shot down Shinji's optimism. "Me, join you? Get real! I'm here... to use you."

"Wha... Nii-san! There's no way to ask for a favor!" Rika was appalled at how rude her brother was. Sure, she knew he was not on good terms with Shinji but it was still uncalled for! To make matters worse, if he pissed the Vizards off, it was eight-on-two! He would be creamed, since Rika just knew that all eight Vizards were individually stronger than either of them! She suppressed a nervous gulp at seeing the unhappy faces of the Vizards. Her brother had gotten them into deep shit with his witty tongue...

**Author's Note: This chapter is basically about their fight with Grimmjow and their first meeting with the entire Vizard group. The other Arrancar fights do not change from canon at all.**

**Rika only starts her fight with Grimmjow after Ichigo is kicked away and smashes into the railing. Thanks to that, Ichigo doesn't suffer having his face being treated like a punching bag. Initially, Grimmjow does not believe she can cut through Hierro and he only realizes it as true after the free first hit. He knows well enough not to brawl too much with her and resorts to using his Zanpakutou to block her attacks.**

**The only serious wound inflicted on him was by Rika's new move, the collaboration technique she made up with Yukianesa and perfected during her training with Urahara while Ichigo was in Soul Society fighting the Bounts.**

**Fuyu no Kata: Yukikaze - Winter Stance: Snowstorm**

**Description: At Rika's command, Yukianesa immediately conjours an ice cocoon around her. Anything that touches the cocoon physically will have the offending limb, and weapon if any, immediately frozen and unable to move from the spot. The freezing is extremely potent to the point the nerves are totally shut down. In exchange for the potency, the amount of time the cocoon can be up only lasts two seconds before shattering on its own if it does not make contact. Costs 50% reiatsu to conjour, and Rika can bolster the cocoon's hardness by adding 25% more reiatsu.**

**Once frozen, Rika will follow up by gathering an incredibly large amount of reiatsu in Yukianesa for the counterattack. The instant she attacks, the cocoon shatters to allow her to Shunpo out and hit the opponent during her dash. She puts in 50% of her reiatsu into this single strike, and can strengthen it by adding 25% more. However, any more than 75% might cause Yukianesa's blade to break from over-infusion.**

**In total, this collaboration technique with Yukianesa, and their original technique, costs a minimum of 50% if no contact to the cocoon is made, to a maximum of 150% if Rika strengthens both the cocoon's defense and her counterattack. Although this is not one of Yukianesa's own techniques and meant for defensive purposes, in essence, this is Rika's first 'power-type' technique.**

**The next chapter will be about Ichigo's training with the Vizards and they will learn of the connection between Rika and Hollow Ichigo.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are also very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	41. Joining In With The Masks

"Say what?" Shinji muttered.

"I'm not joining your group, but you will teach me how to suppress my inner Hollow," Ichigo told Shinji his intentions for coming to their hideout.

"Looks like you're really underestimating us. We're not teaching you anything, dumbass!"

"I'll make you tell me."

"How?"

"I'll beat it out of you," Ichigo told him with a confident smirk.

"Don't make me laugh," Shinji retorted with a smirk of his own. Ichigo reached into his back pocket and clenched his Substitute Badge, ejecting his Shinigami form and immediately rushing towards the leader of the Vizards. "Guess we gotta do this the hard way," he kicked up his Zanpakutou he held down with his foot into his hand as he engaged in a small skirmish with Ichigo, claiming the first successful hit with a burst of reiatsu that knocked Ichigo through a bunch of wooden craters on the ground floor.

"Damn it!" Ichigo quickly burst out of the rubble and charged Shinji again. Meanwhile, the other Vizards went down to the ground floor, standing to the side to avoid getting in the way. Rika was also off to the side, though slightly away from the group due to the unwarranted hostility her brother had showed to them. She had also ejected her Shinigami form in case physical hostility broke out and she needed to defend herself and their empty bodies.

"That Ichigo-kun is pretty good to fight on par with Shinji," a man with wavy blonde hair commented on the fight.

"Idiot! Take a closer look," a woman dressed in a schoolgirl's sailor uniform snapped. "Shinji isn't taking him seriously."

"It looks to me that Ichigo-kun isn't fighting with all he's got, either," a tall, big man with surprising pink hair added with a very polite tone.

"He's definitely scared," a man with a star-shaped hairstyle dressed in a jumpsuit sighed somewhat good-heartedly.

"Scared? Of what?" a girl dressed in a white costume asked with a naive tone.

"His Hollow," a man in a muscle shirt replied. "That punk's so scared, he's trying to fight without calling his Hollow out. We've been trying to recruit this guy, and this is the level he's at?" The shortest member of the Vizards, a blonde girl with pigtails sighed and approached the two combatants.

"Where are you going, Hiyori?" the girl in the costume asked.

"Hachi, add another five layers to the barrier," she ordered. The biggest man responded to her with an affirmative. She went up to Shinji and smacked him with her slipper, sending him flying out the factory and through the barrier. She accused Hachi of not reinforcing the barrier but he defended himself by saying that he did not have enough time. "Well, that's fine," she let the mistake slip, taking Shinji's place as Ichigo's opponent. "Ichigo, let me tell you something. You got the wrong idea."

"The wrong idea?" Ichigo repeated.

"Yeah, we're definitely thinking about letting you become one of our comrades. The thing is, it ain't your choice."

"What do you mean?"

"It means that it's our decision. It doesn't matter if you wanna join us or not. After we see your strength, we'll decide whether we want you... or not. That's it. Think about it." Ichigo then realized what she was trying to say. "You don't have any choice in the matter! If you're powerful, then we'll let you join us. We'll even teach you how to suppress your Hollow. But, if you're weak, then forget it. We'll leave you to become a Hollow and die a pathetic death." Ichigo's nervous look told her all she needed to know. "Now if you get the picture, turn into a Hollow already. Let's see how powerful you are."

"I refuse," he said, causing Hiyori to stop in her tracks.

"You just don't get it. I told you, it ain't your choice!" she turned to face him, reiatsu surrounding her as a complete Hollow mask formed at the upper right of her head. "If you're too scared to turn into a Hollow, I guess I have no choice. I'll draw that Hollow of yours out myself! Even if I have to beat it out of you." Some of the Vizards tried to stop her from going too far but their warnings fell on deaf ears. "What're you so afraid of? Just because you have a mask doesn't mean you're a Vizard. At least turn into a Hollow! Don't be a chicken, Ichigo. I ain't as nice as Shinji. If you don't get over your fear and turn into a Hollow..." she paused as she put her Hollow mask over her face. Before Ichigo could react, she already had a palm on his chest. "Then you're dead. For real."

Hiyori clearly dominated over him and soon the other Vizards got bored of just standing around and moved to separate locations for comfort as they continued watching. She soon got irritated and lifted her own mask away to the side as she chastised Ichigo for being afraid. When he denied being so, she gave him a hint and told him to use Bankai. When he refused, she called him out on it, stating that whenever he fought someone strong like her and used his Bankai, he got scared that he would not be able to hold his Hollow back.

"Shut the hell up!" Ichigo snapped, unable to take her truthful claims any further.

"Dickhead! Just looking at you pisses me off! You're so terrified, it's pathetic! All right then! Fight however you want. You don't have to use Bankai or turn into a Hollow. I'll just kill you and end this!" Hiyori replaced her mask over her face and smashed her Zanpakutou against Zangetsu with a massive amount of reiatsu behind her strike, blowing him backwards. Rika had remained silent all along, focusing on her brother's reiatsu as it subtly but quickly shifted into his Hollow's reiatsu. She judged that he was already halfway to gaining control of the body.

"Excuse me," she called out to gain the attention of everyone in the factory. When all heads turned to her, she began to speak. "I don't mean anything rude by this, but if you do manage to bring out nii-san's Hollow, that girl will lose even though she has managed to control her Hollow. She may be able to fight him off, but there's little doubt she will lose."

"I will lose?" Hiyori snorted in disbelief.

"I say this only as a fact. You will lose against nii-san's Hollow if you fight him alone. Take it from someone who has fought alongside him once before." That surprised all the Vizards present.

"Wait, wait, wait. You're saying you really fought _with_ your brother's Hollow, and not _against_ it?" the star-haired man tried to clarify. Rika nodded in response.

"The Hollow didn't try to attack you in any way?" the man in the muscle shirt continued asking.

"No. He's rather friendly with me," she told him. "I've met him three times so far, and he has never attacked me."

"What is the meaning of this?" the wavy-haired man wondered more to himself than anything else. "Why would an inner Hollow be friendly with her, or anyone in that matter? It might be understandable if it tried to be friendly to Ichigo-kun in order to brainwash him into giving control, but this?"

"I don't care what she says! I'll draw that Hollow out and kill it myself!" Hiyori growled and charged Ichigo again, with each swing breaking into Zangetsu's edge more and more.

_'Think! How is she able to turn into a Hollow and keep her sanity? How can she just take off her mask and put it back on like that?' _Ichigo forced himself to think and observe as he tried to keep up with her unrelenting attacks. _'I'm fighting her one-on-one. If I just keep watching her, eventually I'll figure it out! That's why I came here! I'm not going to use Bankai! I'm not going to tranform into a Hollow! I refuse to let him control my soul again! I refuse to let him get close to Rika again!" _Despite his determination, he was completely unable to deflect a particularly powerful strike, nearly breaking Zangetsu in half from the attempted block. He smashed into the wall of the factory, giving him a concussion and knocking him out cold momentarily. That was more than enough for his Hollow to break out from within his soul.

"He's here!" Rika warned before any of the Vizards could sense the drastic change and pressure in Ichigo's reiatsu. However, something was off with the possession this time. Rather than trash-talking like he usually did whenever he appeared, he let out a howl much like that of an insane, enraged beast. Even faster than how Hiyori placed her palm on Ichigo's chest, he grabbed her throat and slammed her into a pillar, breaking off most of her mask along the way. He proceeded to strangle her with the usual bloodthirsty gaze and insane smirk on his face.

Rika was the first to approach Hollow Ichigo, assured of her own safety and unwilling to draw her Zanpakutou against him, not even in self-defense. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, causing him to snap his head at her with a low growl. As he took in her features, some of the hostility in his eyes was replaced by puzzlement as if he found her somewhat familiar, though his grip on Hiyori's throat did not loosen in the slightest.

"Let her go, onii-san. If you don't, these people will make you go back painfully," she moved aside to let him see the seven other Vizards coming towards him with their Zanpakutous drawn. "You've made your point, onii-san. You have to go back now. Please?" Hollow Ichigo stared down the seven people behind Rika with his crazed smirk intact before slowly releasing his hold on Hiyori's neck. By then, the Hollow characteristics on her were long gone along with her mask. Rika kept her eyes on her brother as the half mask crumbled on its own and the golden-black eyes turned back to their original brown-white.

"Rika, you..." Ichigo uttered in stunned disbelief, having regained his senses after his Hollow showed surprising obedience to his sister's request.

"Impossible..." Shinji was just as gobsmacked as everybody else, having rejoined the group to prevent Hiyori from getting killed by Ichigo's Hollow. "Rika-chan, you can control Ichigo's Hollow?" She shook her head in denial, having done no such thing. She had been merely hoping that Hollow Ichigo could listen to reason despite his animalistic behavior. "Then why did it listen to you?"

"Like I said earlier, we're kind of on friendly terms with each other," Rika admitted, looking away with a slight flush on her face. Simply saying a boy was her friend was not embarrassing to her. However, saying that she was on friendly terms with someone that everyone disliked, did fluster her. In her case, that someone was a Hollow that lived inside her brother and the few that knew of his existence utterly hated him.

"When you said earlier that you were friendly with Ichigo-kun's Hollow, I did not believe you one bit. None of us did. But after that show, it appears you were telling the truth after all," the wavy-haired man could hardly believe what had just happened.

"Whatever the case, it's enough," Shinji brought that topic to a halt as he looked towards Hiyori. "Satisfied, Hiyori?" She could not respond, too shaken by Hollow Ichigo's attempt at her life. She was genuinely frightened as tears had built up around the corners of her eyes and drool from having nearly been choked to death. Rika almost felt sorry for the girl. She kicked Ichigo around so badly and when she finally got what she wanted, she was nearly killed for it. If Hollow Ichigo had succeeded in killing her, it would be the perfect example of 'Be careful what you wish for'.

"You get it now, Ichigo?" Shinji turned his attention to Ichigo. "Suppressing your Hollow isn't as simple as just focusing your mind and body." Once he was sure Ichigo was fully aware of his surroundings, he passed him from the 'entrance exam' of the Vizards and they would pound the way to suppress his Hollow clear into the core of his soul. Rika was welcome to stay as she was good in Shinji's books, as long as she did not do anything to compromise the location of their hideout or speak about them to anyone.

A few days had passed and there was no sign of either Ichigo or Rika. Both siblings were nowhere to be found, causing a lot of distress for the Kurosaki household. Yuzu was crying her eyes out about how her older siblings were gone and had not returned. Karin told her to be quiet and that they would be fine. Rika had even left behind a note for them, saying that she would be with their brother for the unstated period of time he would be away from home. Yuzu did not believe her at all, claiming that they might have been kidnapped or had an accident. Isshin tried to cheer up the crying twin to no avail and when the front door creaked open, their hopes were raised. Unfortunately, it was Rukia. She apologized to Yuzu for not being able to find either of her older siblings. Later that night, she wondered where they went, worried as she could not detect even a trace of their reiatsu.

That same night at the Vizard hideout, at the guestroom where Ichigo and Rika were sleeping in, the younger Kurosaki could not find herself falling asleep as she thought about the inevitable clash between her brother and his Hollow that was approaching closer with each passing day. When she was sure her brother was fast asleep, she turned away from him and quietly withdrew the Hollow mask she kept as a lucky charm from inside her shihakushou. She stared at it with a troubled expression, torn between her feelings towards both of them. She loved her brother dearly, and she had no reason to hate Hollow Ichigo. Despite his selfish reasons for helping Ichigo out in order to save his own life, he did look out for her for the short amount of time he was in control of the body. It might only be because she kept his mask on her but still, he had done nothing to even make her dislike him.

Was she the only one who believed Hollow Ichigo was not as bad as everyone thought he was? She frowned at the fact that the possibility of her being wrong was quite high, since it was not her carrying him around inside her soul and she was not a Vizard. However, she still believed in the small chance that she was right, and hoped that her judgement in his character was correct.

"Please, Kami-sama, protect both my brothers..." she uttered a prayer to the gods as she felt asleep from mental weariness. As the mask slipped from her fingers, it landed next to her face as she rolled her head to partially lean into the mask. She never sensed the minute amounts of Hollow reiatsu that leaked out from the mask. The reiatsu acted like magnets, slowly pulling the mask over her face. As Rika slept, she failed to hear the distressed call of Yukianesa crying out to her.

When she felt a snowdrop land on her cheek, she opened her eyes to find herself in her inner world. Thinking Yukianesa had something to talk about, she entered the cottage. Instead of Yukianesa, she found Hollow Ichigo just finishing off a snack at the table.

**"Yo. Long time no see, Rika-chan," **Hollow Ichigo greeted her with a small raise of his hand and the ever-present smirk on his face.

"O-Onii-san...? What are you doing here? Didn't you go back with Zangetsu-san?" Rika asked, genuinely confused at his presence in her inner world.

**"What? Can't I drop by to see how my cute little sister is doing?" **he asked back, taunting her with his smirk, his golden eyes shining with amusement at seeing her fidget in his presence.

"O-Of course you can! It's a pleasure to have you here, onii-san!" she quickly denied any form of refusal on her part. She quickly sat down next to him, flushing in embarrassment at her horrible welcome. "What brings you here, onii-san?"

**"Nothing really. Just checking up on you, among other things," **he replied. His smirk got noticeably bigger when Rika did not ask what those 'other things' were.

"Onii-san... What are you going to do when the Vizards teach nii-san how to suppress you?" she asked, partially worried for the Hollow side of her brother.

**"Obviously we fight! And I'll crush his skull beneath my feet and become the King!" **he laughed out maniacally.

"You can't! If you do, then..." Rika shot out from her chair, desperation clearly written on her face as she tried to think of any way to convince him not to kill Ichigo if he won.

**"You don't need to worry, Rika-chan. I'll just be taking over his body and turning it into a Hollow. I won't destroy him... not entirely. Just like how we spoke the other time, if I'm feeling real nice, maybe I'll let him out so you can talk to him."**

"...Really? It won't be like your last possession? You were behaving like a wild animal," Rika still had some doubts about his words as she sat back down.

**"That was just my instincts screaming out to kill and spill blood. Once I'm King, you can expect to talk to me again anytime you want," **he replied, enjoying the paling of her face at the gruesome revelation.

"If..." Rika was reluctant to say it, but knew she had to to ease her troubled mind. "If nii-san wins and he suppresses you..."

**"Hah! Him, that weakling, win against me? Impossible," **Hollow Ichigo was very confident of his victory. **"You wanna know why, Rika-chan? Let me ask you this: what's the difference between a king and his horse? I don't mean kiddy shit like 'One's a person while the other's an animal' or 'One has two legs while the other has four'. If their form, ability and power are exactly the same, why is it that one becomes the king and controls the battle while the other becomes the horse and carries him around? Do you know?"**

Rika took some time to think about what Hollow Ichigo had asked her. He was clearly referring to Ichigo and himself. From the way he was speaking earlier, Ichigo was the king and he was the horse. Ichigo was king, and thus the one who fought the battles he engaged in. She understood that part clearly. It was the horse part she did not understand. Why a horse if everything was exactly the same as the king? Thinking about it in literal terms, a horse carried a king, lending its legs so he could get to his locations with ease. In battle, a horse is used to carry the king through the battlefield, lending its body so the king could strike from a higher platform. Was Hollow Ichigo referring to the 'lending' part? It made sense that the dominant one should fight while the weaker gave support. So if the king and the horse were exactly the same, then...

"Um... The king is the one who applies the ability and power to better use...?" she answered hesitantly, afraid of getting it wrong.

**"Close, but not the answer," **Hollow Ichigo gave a mocking applause. **"It's instinct! Better application of ability and power can be part of instinct, so you're partially right. In order for two identical beings to get stronger and gain the power they need to become king, they must search for more battles and power! They thirst for battle, and live to mercilessly crush, shred and slice their enemies! Deep, deep within our bodies lies the honed instinct to kill, to slaughter! But Ichigo doesn't have that!"**

"I don't think nii-san needs that killer instinct. If it's the instinct to fight then I'm sure he has that, but he's fighting to protect, not going out to hunt for enemies to kill," she partially agreed with him. "I believe I'm the same."

**"But there's a difference between the two of you!" **he told her, his insane grin getting larger every minute. **"Ichigo doesn't have those pure, base instincts, but yours are just beginning to awake! He fights with his brain, and tries to defeat his enemies with logic! And it doesn't work! He's trying to cut them with a sheathed sword! And you, my dear Rika-chan, are doing the exact same thing! The tiny difference is, you're learning when to drop logic and go with instinct! That's why he's weaker than me. Get it, Rika-chan?"**

"I... I think so..." she replied, not entirely sure what he was trying to tell her. In simpler terms, did he mean that Ichigo was thinking too much as he fought? While not having as much interest in the fighting arts compared to her brother, she at least knew that the strongest fighters had very strong instincts. Was that what Hollow Ichigo was trying to relay to her? That to be strong, you had to have instinct by your side? It made a lot of sense when she thought about it that way.

**"Here's a little forecast for you. When I win and become King, the body will be that of a Hollow. Once I've buried that weakling Ichigo into the deepest, darkest corner of our soul, I'll take my instincts back under control and I'll have you all to myself after getting rid of those Vizards," **he told her of a very likely future.

"Eh? You have me all to yourself?" Rika repeated, a little nervous about the way he phrased it. It sounded really wrong in a lot of ways.

**"That's right. You are the only person out there that doesn't fear and hate me. Naturally, I don't want to let you go, and just like Ichigo, I hate sharing you. I want you to be all mine." **And then without warning, he shot up to his feet, knocking over the table. He yanked Rika up to her feet by her shihakushou and abruptly smashed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened in extreme shock, so much so that she did not even resist when his tongue invaded her mouth. Rika was still too shocked to react when he broke off the lip contact, a small trail of saliva connecting their lips for a second longer.

"W-W-Wh... Wha-Wha-What..." she started stammering as the first signs of life returned to her, her face turning extremely red as she hastily backpedaled away from Hollow Ichigo.

**"I told you. You're all mine," **he told her, his golden eyes glowing with primal lust. With a burst of Shunpo, Rika suddenly found herself the victim of yet another forceful kiss as her back slammed into the wall. This time, she was more prepared for it as she struggled to escape.

"O...Onii...-san..." she managed to call out to him despite the invading tongue inside her mouth. When he drew back to let her speak, she quickly pushed him away from her, holding him back at arm's length. "T-This is wrong! We shouldn't be doing this!" she spoke as fast as she could, highly embarrassed and humiliated by her brother's lustful actions.

**"You won't have to worry about that for much longer... Once I'm King, I will make you my Queen. You love me, don't you?" **he purred.

"W-Well... Yes, b-but..." she stammered. "I love you as a brother, as family! But not like this!" His smirk only grew bigger as he Shunpo-ed towards the bed, pinning her arms above her head with one hand. Try as she might, she could not break free at all. "Onii-san, please, let go..." she whimpered.

**"Relax, Rika-chan. We're bonded to one another, remember?" **he licked his lips in primal hunger as he used his free hand to undo the sash keeping the shihakushou together. Just as he finished undoing it, he suddenly paused, mild irritation appearing on his face. **"Tch. Time's up, huh?" **he snorted before his grin returned to his face. **"We'll continue this another time, Rika-chan. You can look forward to it," **he snickered as he pushed himself on her, stealing yet another kiss from the helpless Rika. He took his time ravaging her mouth with his tongue before separating. Rika panted for air, her face painted a scarlet red. Her vision soon began swimming with black spots before fading out entirely.

Rika snapped her eyes open immediately in a nerve-wrecking panic, almost screaming out loud if not for the discipline instilled in her ever since becoming a Shinigami. Her face was matted with sweat as she tried to calm her hectic breathing. She then noticed the face-down Hollow mask on her bed. She realized she felt asleep before putting it away. As she replaced it back underneath her shihakushou, she wondered what it was she dreamed about. Was it even a dream? Did her Hollow brother really drop by in her inner world and summoned her, or was it simply just an awful nightmare where he was about to...?

Yukianesa was the sole occupant of her inner world, so she asked her to be absolutely sure. The Zanpakutou spirit denied his intrusion into her inner world but Rika did catch the uncertainty in her tone, as if she herself was unsure of her own answer. The nightmare was surprisingly very detailed, and it had answered the questions that had been in her head for so long. It nearly trailed off into something sinful, making her shudder. In a naive train of hopeful thoughts, she brushed away the possibility that it was something real and not a nightmare.

After washing up and making herself look presentable rather than disheveled, she went to the area where Ichigo was working out on some sort of walker exercise machine just as he did days ago. All the Vizards were lazing around and barely paying any attention to him. As he watched them, he grew more and more frustrated at their laid-back behavior. The last straw came when Shinji asked Hiyori to cook something for him since lunch was late. When she refused, he immediately called for Rika who was running around tending to every one of their meager needs with Shinji asking for her the most, asking her to make snacks for him.

"I can't take this anymore!" he kicked the walker straight at Hiyori who used Shinji as a human shield.

"What the hell was that about?" Hiyori yelled at him. "You try something like that again and you're dead, dickhead!"

"T-That's my line..." Shinji groaned from his slumped position.

"It's my line, damn it!" Ichigo snarled. "You sounded all confident and capable when you said you'd 'pound how to suppress my Hollow' into me. Why the hell are you idiots making me run on this half-assed NordicTrack rip-off for days on end?" he pointed an accusing finger to the walker kicked to the wall before shifting his finger to his confused sister. "And why the hell are you treating my sister like she's some sort of servant? Heck, am I the stupid one for actually listening to all of you?"

"What are you talking about, Ichigo? Rika-chan here is not a Vizard, so she has to do something to earn her keep," Shinji replied. "Besides, you don't mind, do you Rika-chan?" She could only laugh awkwardly as she nodded.

"What keep? You're blatantly taking advantaging of her just because she's being nice to you! Rika, why are you even agreeing to do all that crap for them?"

"I will feel bad if I stick around without doing anything. Hirako-san was nice enough to let me stay even though I'm not a Vizard. It's the least I can do to show my appreciation," she told him, Shinji eagerly nodding his head in approval.

"You'll make a very good wife someday, Rika-chan," Shinji slung his arm over her shoulders in a friendly gesture as she smiled nervously at him, clearly uncomfortable from the close contact. "Why can't you be a little more like your little sister, Ichigo? She's so much easier to hang out with than a prick like you." Ichigo was just about to explode from the insult when he was assaulted by Hiyori. They broke into an argument about how the walker was going to help him accomplish anything. The argument quickly escalated into a physical brawl with Ichigo being knocked down to the ground level of the factory.

Before he could take the fight to another level, he was told to stop by Shinji who explained that the walker was the foundation for future training. They would decide what level to start his next training at based on how long he could run on it, so he should stop complaining and get on with the exercise. He estimated that he would collapse in three days at the latest. Once he did, they would teach him how to control his Hollow.

Ichigo refused, knowing that the walker drained a ton of reiryoku just by touching it. He claimed that he could easily stay on it for a week after being on it for so long and there was no point in testing him like that. He just wanted to know how to control the Hollow transformation. He did not want to waste any time playing around with the Vizards. His last statement seemed to strike a nerve in Shinji, yelling at Ichigo to shut his mouth.

"You don't have enough time?" Shinji repeated coldly. "That's really something, coming from a guy who doesn't even know how long it'll take for the Hogyoku to awaken." Both the Kurosaki siblings were stunned when they heard him mention an item Aizen had in his possession.

"Wait. What did you just say?" Ichigo could not believe his ears.

"I said to quit babbling since you don't know anything about the Hogyoku or changing into a Hollow."

"How? How do you know about the Hogyoku?" Rika nearly shook her head at her brother's density. It was made clear to her the moment Shinji uttered the item's name. They were definitely connected to Urahara and Aizen. They were the only two people with any significant relation to the Hogyoku. She thought that connection would at least be the first thing to sink in.

"I know all about it. The Hogyoku, the Arrancars, even Aizen Sousuke. I've known about it for years." Shinji seemed to consider something before Shunpo-ing down to Ichigo and putting a palm right in front of his face. "We'll talk about it later. I thought it'd be a good idea to let you get used to our way and have your soul blend with ours. But now that I think about it, you can turn into a Shinigami, use your Shikai and have a Bankai with amazing speed."

"How do you know about all that...?" Rika bit her bottom lip to prevent herself from muttering how slow her brother could be at times. He still did not make the connection?

"I guess it'll work better if we just jump right into teaching you how to control your Hollow, like you wanted," Shinji relented to Ichigo's method of learning things. "Let's go, Ichigo." Soft blue light surrounded his hand and Ichigo suddenly lost all focus, his mind gone from the conscious world. "Don't regret this now." Love went over to pick his comatose body up, carrying him like a sack as Hachi set up a double-layered barrier. Shinji activated a hidden switch and a portion of the floor opened up to reveal a hidden staircase leading underground.

As they went down, Shinji told Rika that Ichigo was going to fully transform into a Hollow this time. He had to devour his Hollow and else he would be the one devoured. If the Hollow won, everything would be over for him as the Vizards would be forced to destroy the completed Hollow. Seeing Rika's distressed look, he tried to make it seem not so bad for if Ichigo lost, at the very least, he would be purified and sent to Soul Society to live out his afterlife. When they finally arrived at the basement, Rika had to suppress the urge to gag at how it looked.

_'They are definitely connected to Urahara-san! If the Hogyoku wasn't good enough, this is definitely more than enough!' _Rika screamed mentally at seeing the wasteland basement, complete with painted blue sky and white clouds. They proceeded to put Ichigo down in the center of a rather large open space, and Shinji ordered Hachi to place another barrier in the basement.

"Eh?" Hachi moaned in a childish manner.

"Don't 'Eh' me! It ain't cute when an old fart like you whines like that!" Shinji deadpanned before getting back to business. "Also, place a five-degree barrier around Ichigo." Hachi's eyes turned serious as he gathered reiatsu and began chanting a kidou spell. When he was done, five tall metal towers linked by chains at the top fell on Ichigo, pinning his limbs and his body to the ground.

"I'll tell you this before we start, girl," Kensei put a hand on Rika's shoulder to get her attention. "If that punk does not make it, we will kill him. If you try to stop us, we won't hesitate to put you down too. You got that?" She replied with a slow, silent nod. "Good. If your brother fails, he's only got himself to blame, not us. Keep that in mind."

Rika watched with mixed feelings as Hachi created a large square barrier around Ichigo, probably to contain him when the Hollow instincts started to take the body over like Shinji said. She honestly had no idea what to think, or which brother she hoped would win. The only thing she could do, was to steel herself for the fact that no matter what, one of them would be gone. In the worst case scenario, his Hollow won and ended up killed by the Vizards, making her lose both of her brothers.

_"Master, it's snowing hard," _she heard Yukianesa mention from the inner world.

"Sorry, Yukianesa. I'll try..." Rika replied weakly.

_"...I'm here for you if you need someone," _Yukianesa extended an offer of comfort if Rika needed it.

"Thank you..."

**Author's Notes: During Ichigo's fight with Hiyori, Rika manages to get the wild Hollow Ichigo to return peacefully instead of getting pinned down by the other Vizards and getting his mask shattered. The reason he listened is because only Hollow Ichigo's instincts took control of the body and not himself, and the instincts finds Rika 'familiar' due to the Hollow mask she carries around.**

**After a few days in the Vizard hideout, Rika happens to fall asleep on the mask she carries, and the Hollow reiatsu in it begins to act on its own, temporarily placing itself on her face. Yukianesa notices the oddity and tries to warn her to no avail. Rika finds herself in her inner world to find Hollow Ichigo already there, having invited himself in and claiming to be merely visiting.**

**Rika tells him her concerns about him and Ichigo, and he gives her the 'king and horse' talk along with some vague answers for her questions. He directly tells her he wants her all to himself, calling her his Queen. Just like how Ichigo doesn't want her interacting with him, he doesn't want to share her with Ichigo. He takes her affection for him to the extreme but is interrupted by something before he can get started.**

**For some reason, Yukianesa is not around the whole time Hollow Ichigo was in Rika's inner world, and she does not remember him coming in uninvited. Rika's trusts her Zanpakutou's answer and brushes the encounter aside as merely a nightmare, but is it really?**

**On the day Ichigo gets started on his inner battle, Rika is reminded and warned of the various outcomes that will happen should Ichigo lose, and she accepts with a heavy heart. ****The next chapter will focus on the fight inside Ichigo's soul and outside with the Vizards.**

**Read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	42. Battle For The Throne And Sister

**Notice: As this chapter has two points of view, I will switch between them with breaks.**

***Ichigo's Inner World***

**"Yo. Long time no see, King," **Hollow Ichigo greeted Ichigo when he arrived in the inner world. **"What's up? Don't you look all depressed."** Ichigo looked discreetly to the sides, finding no trace of his Zanpakutou spirit.

"Where's old man Zangetsu?" he asked coldly, only to be met with a cocky smirk. "Bastard!"

**"I don't know what you mean!" **he said just as Ichigo made to draw his Zanpakutou. **"When you say 'Zangetsu', are you talking about what you're holding there?" **he pointed to him. **"Or do you mean what I'm holding..." **he drew his own version of Zangetsu from his back, causing Ichigo to stare at it. **"...this thing right here?"**

_'A white... Zangetsu?' _Ichigo thought, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face.

**"You asked where Zangetsu is, right? I'll tell you!" **He vanished with a Shunpo, appearing above Ichigo and ready to swing his own Zangetsu down. **"I am... Zangetsu!" **His sword was met with Ichigo's own as they engaged in a power struggle, both sides even.

***Real World***

Rika perked her head up first, sensing the Hollow reiatsu building up in her brother and just about to burst. She had no idea why she could detect it so easily, but credited it to the mask she kept. Maybe keeping the mask for so long made her used to its feeling, similar to how she could effortlessly find her brother as long as he was within her sensory range. The Vizards only sensed it when the burst of reiatsu kicked up a small wind and Ichigo started growling. He scratched and pushed in an effort to stand, raising his head as he showed everyone the half-complete mask on his face. The five towers started trembling from the force of his reiatsu and eventually smashed into each other, breaking them down and enabling him to stand.

The first thing the instinct-possessed Ichigo did was look around. He could sense something familiar nearby. He could tell it was something like him, or something belonging to him. Thanks to Hachi's barrier, he could not see any form of life around him even though the Vizards were sitting a short distance away from the barrier. The instincts were not able to tell that his sight was wrong, but he did know that 'something' was around.

From the outside, they watched in confusion as Ichigo swung his head left and right wildly as if he was looking for something. That or he knew he was being contained. Pretty soon, his search slowed down as he began to look at a particular direction more closely. Following his line of sight, it became clear he was staring straight at Rika.

"It can't be..." Rika gasped, jumping to her feet and slowly moving to the side. When his gaze followed her every step, she knew he had detected her.

"Hachi! Send her in!" Kensei barked an order. "We can't risk him breaking through the barrier and getting loose outside!"

"Yes," Hachi obeyed and gestured for Rika to get close to the barrier. He lifted a finger and a small portion of the barrier opened up like a doorway. The moment she stepped in, he immediately resealed the open area, making them invisible to the two inside. She gulped nervously as she approached the wild Ichigo. He stalked towards her until they were right next to each other. He leaned in abruptly, startling her and making her take a step back. Before she could take another, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in.

Yes, this was the 'something' he sensed. This Shinigami girl had his reiatsu on her. She had been marked by him, signifying her as his belonging. And as she belonged to him, he would not relinquish her. His instincts would not let her go. He would not let anyone else have her. She was his alone, and no-one else's. Very suddenly, he spotted a woman with a Zanpakutou in her hand appear out of thin air. This one was prey. Picking up a Zanpakutou that he instinctively knew was his, he pushed his belonging behind him and charged towards his prey.

"Are you serious? That dickhead's Hollow is trying to protect his sister?" Hiyori shrieked, partially in disbelief and the other outrage. Shinji said nothing, but he was frowning deeply as he looked at the ongoing battle between Lisa and Ichigo.

_'Something is very wrong. Why is Ichigo's Hollow so attached to Rika-chan? What's going on between the two of them?' _Shinji pondered hard as he racked his brain for an acceptable explanation. This defied all logic of instinct-driven Hollows. They would always hunt down their loved ones to consume them, hoping to fill the endless void that their hearts left behind after they turned into Hollows.

Ichigo's actions were the same as any other minor Hollow, except for his apparent protectiveness of Rika. She was not getting involved in the fighting, which was good, but she also proved to be a somewhat disadvantageous factor for Lisa. Lisa was not purposely herding the fight towards her but if it just happened to, Ichigo would get more aggressive and push her away from Rika.

***Ichigo's Inner World***

As the fighting started picking up in the real world, Ichigo was at the disadvantage as Hollow Ichigo constantly pressed the attack.

"Damn you! Where the hell did you hide old man Zangetsu?" Ichigo snarled as he used his free arm behind his Zanpakutou to support his guard.

**"Don't make me say it over and over again! I am... Zangetsu!" **Hollow Ichigo pushed through his guard and smashed him into a skyscraper. He landed a short distance away as he waited for him to stand back up. **"Ichigo, I don't know if you understand or not but, Zangetsu and I have been one in the same. Both Zangetsu and I are part of your power. And I was a part of Zangetsu!"**

"What?" Ichigo uttered as he used Zangetsu as a crutch to support himself.

**"We all share the same body, and whenever the dominant person changes, the outer appearance also changes. When one is dominated by 'life', one is flesh. When one is dominated by 'death', one becomes bones. It's the same reasoning. My power expanded, so the ruling power went to me. And this way, Zangetsu became a part of me instead. The more you try to use Zangetsu's power, you make it easier for me to control your soul!"**

"I see..." Ichigo said simply as he stood up. "So if I beat you right here, right now, that means old man Zangetsu's power will return to me?"

**"You? Beat me? I'll tell you the same thing I told Rika-chan. No way," **he replied as though knowing he would win without fail.

"Shut the hell up. Don't you dare utter my sister's name like that," he growled, restraining his anger as best as he could. "You're not me. You're just a Hollow taking my form and living inside of me. You're not Rika's brother. You're gonna pay for deceiving her like this!"

**"Once again you prove how stupid you can be! I would have been the dominant one if you had transformed into a Hollow back then! I _am _you, you as a Hollow! To be accurate, I'm more you even though I was a part of Zangetsu. Your family is my family. I deceived no-one."**

"Just what is your connection to her? Just what do you want with Rika?"

**"When I win, the body outside will be that of a Hollow. Having a Shinigami sister in that form would be weird, don't you think? That's why..." **he licked his lips almost hungrily. **"I'll make her my woman. I'll make her be exactly like me. Once she's mine, I will bathe her with intense, physical love. Knowing her, some motivation is required to get her started."**

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Ichigo roared with pure unadulterated hatred. This bastard was planning to rape Rika if he won! Even the term 'Over my dead body' would not be enough to keep him from preventing the disaster from happening. When they both were undergoing puberty, they learned about the birds and the bees from their father, including some unnecessary details of his time with their mother in bed.

Thanks to that, he knew more than the average person about rape. It was the exact same thing as sex, only without consent. That part was common knowledge. The less known part was how rape was committed. He labeled them as 'rough rape' and 'soft rape'. The ones normally reported on the news were the former, leaving behind bruises and soreness. 'Soft rape' was being raped like a loving couple would have sex, excluding any injuries from failed attempts to escape.

That was the one his Hollow was after. The 'motivation' was the physical stimulus sex caused. Even if Rika fought back tooth and nail, she would succumb if the stimulus went past her threshold for resisting it, especially so if she was sexually sensitive. That stimulus was why some couples enjoyed sex so much. No matter the gender, you could not help but enjoy the addictive feeling. Unless Rika managed to escape early, it was only a matter of time before her body gave in and surrendered, causing her to start enjoying being raped even though her mind was screaming in denial. Ichigo considered 'soft rape' much more sinister than 'rough rape'.

"I'm not going to let you lay a single finger on Rika! Don't decide on anything until you see this!" Ichigo got into his Bankai preparatory stance. Hollow Ichigo cocked an eyebrow at his actions before relaxing in a bored manner.

**"You just don't get it, do you? I'm telling you it's impossible!" **he too got into the same stance, shocking Ichigo. Seeing his wide eyes, he smirked. Ichigo eventually got over it and channeled his reiatsu for the second release.

"BAN..."

**"...KAI!"**

***Real World***

Ichigo's reiatsu suddenly flared with no warning at all. His face was frozen in what seemed like surprise before a Hollow hole opened up in his chest. Bright blue reiatsu engulfed the area within the barrier, preventing any from seeing inside for a few seconds. When it died down, he was clad in his Bankai outfit with a Hollow hole in the middle and what seemed like white carapace coming from it.

Rika was stuck inside the barrier and unable to do anything. She had no reason to draw her Zanpakutou, not wanting to side with either of the combatants. She tried to move around to avoid being in the line of fire but Ichigo was firm in his protectiveness, not letting her move and not letting anything get past him that would lead to her. Resigning herself to being stuck in one place, she opted to just watch the fight, only from inside the barrier.

Even though Ichigo was in Bankai, Rika was quick to spot that her instinct-driven brother had no idea how to utilize the great speed Bankai granted him. His general speed did increase, but nothing else. He did not even use Shunpo to get around, only charging towards Lisa like a mad beast and getting beaten for it. Even so, he did not seem injured by the blows, only flinching with each successful hit.

That was not to say he did not hit Lisa at all. He did land some but nothing serious. When he charged her after getting a small hit in, Kensei was suddenly inside the barrier and elbowed Ichigo, sending him a short distance away to give her some time to exit the barrier safely. He took out his Zanpakutou that resembled an army knife, and prepared to engage Ichigo who had gotten back to his feet. Rika noted his feet had changed from Shinigami sandals to what seemed like giant bird's feet with two long toes pointing forward and one backward.

Kensei was much more offensive than Lisa, opting to wound Ichigo. He easily dodged the crazed swings and retaliated with a quick swipe, catching him near the shoulder. The deep wound sprayed blood, followed by the white carapace which immediately healed it. Kensei revealed that it was a Hollow ability known as high-speed regeneration. Deciding to take things a little more seriously, he charged up an energy ball with his Zanpakutou and punched Ichigo with it after he went forward to attack again, causing a huge explosion.

While the dust blocked Kensei's sight, Rika could clearly see the damage that was done to her brother. His left arm was mangled, but the high-speed regeneration kicked in and healed it up, this time clad in the white carapace with some red markings that were similar to the red lines on the left side of his mask. His fingers had turned into claws from the transformation. He opened up his hand and a grey worm-like thing shot towards Kensei and tried eating him, only to blown apart.

"Your Hollow transformation's going faster than we expected," Kensei commented before resuming the fight.

***Ichigo's Inner World***

With Bankai activated, Ichigo had regained neutral ground against his Hollow. Both of them were flitting around and trying to get some sneak shots in.

"Damn you... When the hell did you learn Bankai?" Ichigo demanded, locking himself in a power struggle with his Hollow.

**"Isn't it obvious? I learned it when you did!" **Hollow Ichigo broke it off with a white outlined with bright red Getsuga Tenshou which Ichigo deflected in kind with his own black outlined with dark red Getsuga Tenshou. Right after that, Ichigo was distracted by Byakuya's apparition, not understanding why he was imagining him all of a sudden.

**"Don't be so uptight! Let's have some fun!" **he spoke in a light-hearted tone, thoroughly enjoying the fight as he waited for Ichigo to catch his breath.

"Shut up," he snarled as he rose back to his feet, still thinking about Byakuya.

**"Don't get all distracted on me!" **he called him out as he charged towards him.

"I'm not!" he snapped as he guarded his strike, though Hollow Ichigo did pass by him from his charge.

**"With eyes like that, how can you tell me you're not distracted?"**

"I told you, I'm not losing my concentration!" He cocked his arm back and fired a Getsuga Tenshou which was easily separated in two with a simple wave of his Hollow's free hand. Ichigo was not used to people deflecting his Getsuga Tenshou very easily, and he let it show. Hollow Ichigo smirked and Shunpo-ed to him, making to slash his face. It was blocked, but that was fine.

**"Getsuga Tenshou," **he said the technique's name almost lazily as he positioned one hand over his blade. Ichigo watched with stunned eyes as the blade got brighter in front of his face before he was engulfed in a huge explosion. When it cleared, the tip of Hollow Ichigo's Zanpakutou had blood dripping off it, having gotten a slash in when Ichigo was still reeling from the white Getsuga Tenshou.

**"I told you before. You suck, Ichigo," **he taunted.** "Did you forget? The one who first used Getsuga Tenshou in Bankai form was me. You simply watched and are just imitating me. It just shows what a pathetic brat you are, Ichigo."** He Shunpo-ed in front of him and grabbed the black Tensa Zangetsu, turning it white just like his own. **"Just give up. Someone like you... can't use Bankai." **He tightened his grip, making it break down like it was made of paper.

"Z-Zangetsu is..." Ichigo was stunned at what he saw. His Zanpakutou... gone.

**"That is not Zangetsu," **his Hollow told him. **"Didn't I tell you already? I am Zangetsu!" **When he saw Ichigo zoning out for no apparent reason, he grabbed him by the face and tossed him into a skyscraper, nearly breaking it down entirely. **"As usual, your brains are, not surprisingly, absent," **he said with a dissatisfied look on his face.** "What the hell do you think you're doing, spacing out even though you have no weapon?"**

Hollow Ichigo asked if he knew the difference between a king and his horse. It was the very same question he presented to Rika. He berated Ichigo for having none of the raw instinct. It was the reason why he was weaker than him. He threw his Zanpakutou like a knife, impaling Ichigo in the gut with it.

**"I won't have any of it, Ichigo," **he said. **"I don't know about Zangetsu, but to have a king weaker than myself... To let him ride on my back and run around for him, to get killed alongside him... I won't stand for it." **He approached Ichigo and slowly pulled out the Zanpakutou embedded in his body. **"If you're weaker than me, I'll simply crush you and then I'll become king."**

Ichigo was no longer paying any attention to him, having spaced out because his mind decided to toss him into an imaginary fight with Kenpachi. However, that imaginary fight told him all that he needed to win. He remembered the instinct to fight any battles that came his way, and he was sure as hell not letting his Hollow take his sword, or his sister. He reached out and grabbed the white Tensa Zangetsu, cloaking it with his own black power, turning it into the original black Tensa Zangetsu.

Hollow Ichigo, surprised by the sudden resistance, backed off before the blackness consumed more of him, having already turned his white hand into Ichigo's own. He was unable to dodge Ichigo's charging lunge, still too surprised to react to it. From the exit wound, the blackness poured out and crept over him, turning his white Bankai outfit black.

**"Damn. Guess you still had some of it left in you. The instinct that seeks battle," **he said as he started to burn away. **"Guess it can't be helped since you did defeat me. For the meantime I'll acknowledge you as the king. But don't forget that either of us can become the king or the horse. If you leave even the slightest opening, I'll get rid of you and crush you until there's nothing left!" **He grabbed the blade impaling him with his remaining hand as he stared straight into Ichigo's cold eyes. **"Oh, and here's a warning. If you really want to control my power, do your best not to die until the next time I appear!"**

Just before he totally vanished, Ichigo could have sworn his Hollow had told him to get ready for round two.

***Real World***

Over an hour had passed, since the Vizards started fighting Ichigo. Love was the current combatant, and Ichigo's body was already a complete Hollow. Only a small piece of the upper-right portion of his mask had not materialized. He looked like a muscular, humanoid lizard with a huge, long tail raised behind him. He was still wielding Tensa Zangetsu and it was leaking out streams of the Getsuga Tenshou energy.

"He's completely turned into a Hollow, hasn't he?" Love tried to chuckle in good humor. "What a pain." He looked towards Rika who had been sitting on the same rock for over an hour and totally unharmed. He raised an eyebrow in confusion at the neutral look on her face. Wasn't she worried that she might lose her brother to his inner Hollow? "Oh, right. Good terms with the Hollow," he reminded himself with slight mirth.

During that slight pause, he saw Ichigo building up a Cero at the tips of his fingers. The reiatsu that was flaring told everyone just how powerful it was going to be. Rika saw him raise a hand to his face, presumably to pull out his Hollow mask. Just as the Cero reached maximum power, Ichigo's shoulder suddenly spurted out blood like something had exploded from within. It was the only time Rika heard him howl in pain. Love had already left the barrier and Rika was stuck inside with Ichigo alone. She could not make it the edge of the barrier in time for Hachi to eject her.

An explosion occurred where Ichigo was standing, knocking a huge dust cloud that covered the entire barrier. When it cleared, the Hollow body crumbled like brittle clay as it fell to the ground, leaving Ichigo behind with a complete Hollow's mask on his face and no signs of possession. Despite his exhaustion, he yanked the mask off and glared at it accusingly.

"Where the hell are you? Get out here!" he yelled at it, thinking his Hollow would materialize out of nowhere for the stated second round. Almost like an answer, he sensed Rika's reiatsu rising from behind him. He would normally ignore it, if not for his instincts screaming at him to dodge. He turned around to see an icicle heading his way. Perhaps out of his refreshed knowledge of his instincts, he smacked it away with the hand holding the mask, inadvertently throwing it away. The frostbite bit deeply into his skin, causing him superficial agony as his hand stung.

"Hey, Rika! What are you doing? It's me, Ichigo! I'm back! I won!" he declared proudly and happily once the stinging decreased to a bearable level. The positive look on his face turned into confusion as Rika seemingly did not hear him. She approached him with her Zanpakutou released and her head angled downwards. When she got close enough, she swung her sword upwards, alarming Ichigo who hastily put up a guard. To his surprise, she struck a lot harder than she ever had before, launching him off his feet. He backflipped to regain his footing as he landed smoothly.

"What's the meaning... of... this..." His irritation morphed into horror as she chuckled in an eerily familiar manner.

**"Ready for round two, _nii-san?" _**she spoke tauntingly and her voice was echoing. She snapped her head upwards to look Ichigo square in the eyes, thoroughly enjoying the look of terror on his face. On her face was a complete Hollow mask; his mask. Her brown eyes that were exactly like his, were now colored black and gold. It was the eyes of his Hollow.

"What... Rika... No... No way..." he murmured in absolute disbelief that was shared with all the other Vizards.

**Author's Note: The inner battle for Ichigo's soul is almost exactly like canon with a few changes to include Rika into their conversations. Although Rika remains neutral and does nothing in the real world, it is only after Ichigo wins that things take a very huge twist.**

**Rika, for some reason, is now wearing the Hollow mask that Ichigo threw when he was hit by the icicle. However, something about her demeanor is very off. Just what is going on? What is happening to her? Find out in the next chapter!**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	43. Two Deals For Two Brothers

**Notice: This chapter will have two POVs as well.**

***Real World***

**"What's with that stupid look? I told you to get ready for round two, didn't I?" **Rika started speaking like she was his inner Hollow. She did some mock stretches and flexes. **"I really gotta thank Rika-chan for being gracious enough to lend me her body."**

"You... BASTARD! Let her go! She's got nothing to do with this!" Ichigo yelled at him. As much as he would like to tear that Hollow of his to atom-sized shreds, he was fearful of harming Rika's body.

**"Have you lost even more brain cells?" **he scoffed. **"Of course she has everything to do with this! I want her!"**

"How did you possess her? Answer me!" Ichigo growled, gripping Tensa Zangetsu so tightly his knuckles turned white.

**"Who cares how I did it? All that matters is round two! You earned the right to keep your throne, but now it's time to find out who gets Rika-chan here!" **He charged him with an insane laughter, further disturbing Ichigo with the distortion in Rika's voice. He quickly defended himself against the wild swings of his possessed sister, refusing to even attempt a counter. He did not want to harm her body in any way.

***Rika's Inner World***

Yukianesa was extremely worried with what was happening. The possession was so sudden she had no time to even prepare for it. Right when Ichigo regained his senses and shed his Hollow frame, Rika abruptly released her Shikai and her connection to her wielder was blocked. The television showed static before something crashed right outside the cottage.

She rushed outside and was shocked to see Rika there. After worriedly checking her for any injuries, she was found unhurt. The only problem was she was in deep unconsciousness. No matter what Yukianesa did, including slapping her until her face was swollen, Rika did not wake up. She focused her mind to force the connection and was shocked to find out that Hollow Ichigo, the demented side of Rika's brother, had somehow been able to possess her body! She even had his mask on her face!

Worse still, the connection was too weak for her to recall her powers and forcefully remove the Shikai state. Zanpakutou spirits were able to refuse to lend power to their wielder and recall them, but most simply allowed them to do whatever they wanted. She was left with little choice but to aid Rika in returning from her unconscious state. She easily carried the larger girl and placed her on one side of the bed. She sat down beside her and activated her partial healing, hoping that the deep sleep Rika was in was some sort of injury and she would regain consciousness faster. She felt hope rise in her heart when she was covered in the soft light of her reiatsu. It signified that the healing was currently in progress.

***Real World***

**"What's the matter, King? Don't you want Rika-chan back?" **Hollow Ichigo taunted as Ichigo was heavily pressed to defend, not that he wanted to attack.

"Shut up!" Ichigo snarled as he blocked all the attacks with some difficulty. He was still exhausted from his inner battle, and now he had to do an immediate rematch with Rika on the line. To make matters worse, his Hollow was using her body. She was practically a human shield. He had tried grabbing the mask and simply tearing it off but had to quickly dash that plan when his hand was nearly lopped off.

"Damn it all!" he screamed out in frustration, unable to find a suitable solution to his present dilemma. All his other options involved bringing harm to Rika's body, and he refused to hurt his own family. Out of desperation, he tried calling out to the original owner of the body. "Rika, wake up! Don't let him take your body like this! Listen to me!"

**"Don't bother! Rika-chan is fast asleep right now! The fastest way to get her up is to beat me down! If you can, that is!" **he told him, launching a Koori no Ame which he safely Shunpo-ed away from. He gritted his teeth as he chased after him. Watching his sister fight like a berserker rather than the cautious style she always employed left a very bad image in his eyes.

***Rika's Inner World***

Yukianesa was still healing Rika, the end of the partial healing nowhere in sight. The only sign of progress was a single moan of pain coming from the comatose girl. After fifteen minutes since she started, Rika started to twitch. A smile broke out on Yukianesa's face before quickly turning into one of horror. The reiatsu stopped going into Rika, signifying that the partial healing was done. Not wanting to give up on her efforts, Yukianesa started shaking her wielder, earning more groans and pained mumbles from her.

"Wake up, Master! This isn't the time to be sleeping like a log!" Yukianesa screamed at her.

"...Be quiet, Yukianesa... I'm trying to sleep here..." Rika groaned out her very first response before she turned away and tried to return to her slumber.

"No! Don't you dare fall back to sleep!" she cried indignantly, getting to her feet and started stomping on her to get her up. As silly as it was, it hurt to be stomped on with shoes. Eventually, Rika got annoyed enough to sit up and glare at her Zanpakutou spirit, albeit with drooping eyelids. "Finally! You're up, Master!"

"Just what do you want, Yukianesa...?" Rika mumbled in sleepy irritation. Somehow, the half-angry half-sleepy tone struck a nerve in the Zanpakutou spirit.

"Don't take that tone with me!" she slapped her so hard Rika fell off the bed. The pain from having her face planted into the floor and the slap woke her up completely.

"That hurt! What did you do that for, Yuki-chan?" Rika sat up, glaring at her as she gently nursed her bruised cheek. She was reminded quite harshly that Shinigamis, as well as Zanpakutou spirits, did not adhere to the rules of size. A Shinigami child could be easily as strong, or stronger than the best Olympic weightlifter. The same went for Zanpakutou spirits. Slaps were potentially fatal when delivered by them.

"Hmph! You deserved it for sleeping in such a precarious situation!" Yukianesa scoffed arrogantly, not the least bit apologetic for her actions. There was no way she was going to admit that she had forgotten to hold back majority of her strength when slapping her. It was fortunate Rika had entered her inner world as a Shinigami. It would have broken her human neck otherwise.

"What situation?" That caused Yukianesa to stare at her wielder.

"You don't remember what happened? What is the last thing you recall?"

"I think it was nii-san releasing a lot of reiatsu and it blinded me..."

"Just so you know," Yukianesa sighed. "Your other brother has taken control of your body and is using it to fight Mr. Idiot." Rika was shocked as expected. When she tried to return her consciousness back to the real world, she found herself being denied by a torrent of Hollow Ichigo's reiatsu.

"Yuki-chan, lend me a hand," she requested and Yukianesa complied without complaint. Together, they managed to breach the barrier between her mind and body and make contact with its current 'owner'.

***Real World***

When the possessed Rika paused with a surprised look on her face, Ichigo paused as well. The more he was pushed, the more exhausted he became. Not just in terms of physical wear, but his remaining reiatsu had taken a huge toll as well. He was extremely careful to watch for any icicles. Just one hit from it might distract him long enough for her to score a fatal strike.

**"You're awake already?" **Hollow Ichigo spoke to thin air, but Ichigo knew better. The real Rika had woken up!

"Rika! Snap out of it! He's trying to take you for himself! Don't listen to him!" Ichigo called out to her.

_"Onii-san! What are you doing with my body?" _Rika asked from her inner world.

**"Don't worry about it, Rika-chan. I'm just challenging Ichigo to a rematch for the throne," **he answered lightly. **"Sit back and relax. This will be over real soon. And then we can be together more freely."**

"Rika! Don't try to be civil with him! He's trying to-" Ichigo's warning was cut short by a Koori no Ame, though it did catch her attention. He was just yelling out warnings despite being unable to hear what Rika had to say.

_"You're trying to...?" _she inquired.

**"Make a connection between you and me. You like that, don't you Rika-chan?"**

_"I would like to talk with you more often..."_

**"Same here. Leave this to me and relax. Don't get in my way, you hear?"**

"No, Rika! Don't agree to it! He's trying to rape you and turn you into a Hollow!" Ichigo yelled from a distance, wary of another icicle shot or the Koori no Ame.

**"What an idiot! What would I gain from raping Rika-chan?" **Hollow Ichigo cackled. He never outright denied the accusation but due to the vague way he said it, Rika was fooled into thinking it was false.

_"What about you turning me into a Hollow?" _Rika asked, suspicion in her voice.

**"When I take that throne, the body will be a Hollow. You really think those idiotic Shinigamis would believe that I'm sane and your brother while you yourself are one of them?"**

_"Well, no..." _she saw the logic behind it. _"I suppose... I wouldn't mind... Maybe..." _She was very hesitant about it, though. Would she still be herself after the conversion, and what about Yukianesa? Would she still be around if Rika chose to be a Hollow to stay by her brother's side?

**"Rika-chan said she wouldn't mind. Isn't that great, King?" **He almost sounded proud.

"Don't lie to me! She would never agree to something like that so easily!" Ichigo refused to believe his Hollow's words. Frustration at its peak, he raised Tensa Zangetsu above his head, black reiatsu layered with crimson red surrounding his sword. **"Getsuga Ten-!" **Just as he swung it down to throw the energy wave, he saw Hollow Ichigo turn his back to him and mouthing 'Go ahead' as he looked back. He hurriedly slammed his Zanpakutou into the ground, causing a minor explosion that hurt himself as he was thrown back from the force of his own power. "Damn, that was close... I nearly lost it there..." he muttered as he picked himself up.

**"What's the matter? Not going to shoot?" **he taunted. **"I was even going to give you a chance and let you hit me for free!"**

"Like hell I can! Fight me man to man, you coward! Get out of her body!"

**"No can do, King. Give me dominion over your body and then I'll consider leaving her."**

"No way! I am not giving you anything!"

**"Then too bad! It's either that, or I stay with Rika-chan!"**

"Bastard!" Hollow Ichigo only smirked, the mask hiding it from Ichigo's view. He charged in with a fresh wave of attacks, laughing maniacally all the while. With how fatigued Ichigo was becoming, nicks and scratches began appearing on his body. When he was unable to completely deflect a strong blow, Rika's body froze before Hollow Ichigo could command it to deliver a fatal strike.

_"No! Please don't kill nii-san!" _Rika pleaded as she willed what meager control she still had over her own body to stop it.

**"Don't stop me now, Rika-chan!" **he snarled, trying to force the body to move.

_"I'm so sorry, onii-san! I really am! But I can't let you win this way! What's the point of fighting to be king if you win like this? If you're in my body, what will you do once you defeat nii-san? He is still the king, right? It won't be right unless you earn it directly from him!"_

While Hollow Ichigo hated people who used brains more than instincts, he was not dumb and he had a lot of pride. He was not going to just sit down and let others belittle him. Still, he knew what Rika said was right. The only reason he was able to possess her in the first place was because the mask she carried around and the mask Ichigo just won the right to use resonated with each other, allowing him to manifest in her. He manipulated her just barely so he could get her hands on Ichigo's mask and wear it to enable the possession. That was actually still not enough. It was only because Rika was so in tune with her inner world that he was able to force her into unconsciousness from within and take control. It would have been impossible otherwise.

Unlike with Ichigo, his presence in Rika was not strong. He could only materialize himself for a short period of time in her inner world if his mask was on her face. He was not made from her soul, after all. Even if he won in her body and forcefully took the reins of Ichigo's body, he was not the 'official' king. Ichigo would still be able to beat him back once he recovered enough. Rika was right, at least in terms of human morals. She knew nothing about his situation, but her words were true.

**"Alright, if that's what you want, Rika-chan. I'll take the throne fair and square once Ichigo slips up again," **he relented, putting Yukianesa back into its sheath. He may have agreed to her terms, but he was not going to admit she was right. Ichigo was still in a defensive stance, suspicious of his actions. **"Relax, I'm done here. Remember my warning well, King."**

_"Thank you... onii-san," _Rika thanked her Hollow brother from the bottom of her heart for sparing her human brother.

**"You owe me one, Rika-chan. And I'll collect it once I'm king. When I do, I won't let you refuse it."**

_"Of course! I'll do whatever you want, onii-san!"_

**"I'll take your word for it. As a reward, I'll tell you what that favor is now. Be my woman."**

_"...What?"_

**"Be my woman. No questions asked. You gave your word, and I won't let you refuse."**

"Oh no! Hell no! You will not have Rika as your woman! I won't accept it! I won't allow it!" Ichigo blew a fuse as he stomped towards him threateningly, bloody murder in his eyes and killing intent rolling off him in violent waves.

**"Then you'd better not slip up and die, King! Cause if you do, both your body and Rika-chan will be mine!" **Hollow Ichigo did not feel the least bit intimidated. He lowered his head and whispered in an inaudible voice. **"Be careful when going to sleep, Rika-chan. Otherwise, you might start dreaming of me again." **The mask then cracked and crumbled like dried mud, returning full control back to Rika.

"How did onii-san know about that dream...?" Rika refused to raise her head, trying to will away the extreme blush on her face.

"Rika, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?" Ichigo immediately coddled her like the overprotective brother he was.

"I-I'm fine, nii-san," she replied. When she tried to take a step, she suddenly felt woozy and her vision was swimming. Her body felt very heavy and threatened to give out on her if not for Ichigo holding her up before she collapsed to the floor. "Thank you..." she whispered.

"It's okay now, Rika. The bastard is gone for good. He won't threaten us anymore," he assured her.

"Don't call him a bastard... He's you, nii-san... I won't stand for it if you call yourself that again..."

"He's not...!" She looked up and he saw the emotions swirling in her eyes, relief being the most dominant and disapproval the next. Positive and negative emotions were clashing within her, unable to form a decision on what she should feel. "...Alright, _he _won't bother us again for a long time if I can help it."

"That's good to hear, nii-san... I'm so sleepy..." she stifled a yawn before drifting off to sleep while leaning on his shoulder.

"Hey, don't sleep on me!" he exclaimed before he relaxed with an affectionate gaze in his eyes. "I'm sleepy too, damn it... Have a good rest, Rika." As he picked her up bridal style to carry her better, he heard the sound of glass breaking. He was somewhat surprised to find out he had been caged within a barrier that prevented him from seeing and sensing anything outside.

"How are you feeling?" Shinji asked as he stepped forward.

"Not bad, actually," Ichigo replied with a tired smirk.

"Good deal," he said with a smirk of his own. "How's Rika-chan?"

"She'll be fine. Damn Hollow didn't say how he took control of her body."

"Puzzled us too. But what's done is done, and it's all over. No need to fret about it any longer."

"Yeah..." Ichigo then glanced at his Zanpakutou he put on Rika's body, remembering the warning his Hollow gave him just before he possessed Rika. "Sorry. It's not happening," he promised. Shinji allowed him to take the day off and recuperate. Ichigo gladly accepted it and headed to the guestroom where he quickly fell asleep after tucking Rika in her own bed.

Later that night, a groggy Rika woke up, shuffling in bed as she took out the Hollow mask inside her shihakushou, absentmindedly noting the changes it underwent without her knowledge again. More red lines had appeared on the left side of the mask.

"Don't worry, onii-san..." she whispered to the mask. "Even if nii-san can never accept you, I will. I'll always be by your side... even if the whole Soul Society is your enemy... Because you're my brother..." She went right back to sleep, overcame by fatigue once again as the mask dropped from her hand.

Whether the mask acted again on its own to attach itself to her face remained unknown. The next day, Rika had no idea whether she had a dreamless sleep or could not remember it if she had one. Yukianesa chided her for being suspicious over nothing, yelling all sorts of insults that were basically equivalent to calling her stupid. She was moody, and Rika did not know why.

**Author's Note: Ichigo does not fight back against the possessed Rika, only defending himself. That's perfectly natural for Ichigo, or anyone with any sense of familial piety. Hollow Ichigo takes full advantage of that fact, even willing to turn his back on a Getsuga Tenshou that Ichigo almost launched from extreme frustration.**

**Rika manages to make contact with Hollow Ichigo with help from Yukianesa and reasons with him that winning with her body does little for him to earn the throne which is dominion over Ichigo's body. He relents, extracting a promise from her that in exchange for the favor of sparing Ichigo from a battle he had no hope of winning, she would be his woman when he won control. A favor for a favor.**

**Although extremely reluctant about being his woman and turning into a Hollow in the process, she does not protest against it, having given her word that she would do anything to return the favor. She has no explicit problems being a Hollow to join Hollow Ichigo if he won. Her only concerns were her sanity and Yukianesa. She feared losing her trusted Zanpakutou even more than her sanity.**

**At the end of the chapter is something that every reader can decide for themselves what happens during the night. There will be two assumptions:**

**A: Nothing happens. It was a dreamless sleep for Rika.**

**B: The Hollow mask does attach itself to her face. Hollow Ichigo manifests in her inner world and they pick up where he left off. Please note the 'he' in the last sentence. Lemons are implied to have happened. Whether it's a willing lemon or not is up to the readers. In other words, consented sex or rape, your choice.**

******Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	44. Does Two Rights Make A Wrong?

Rika was passing bento boxes to the Vizards as they watched how Hiyori pummeled Ichigo into hills repeatedly. She sighed as Ichigo was faring quite poorly in what they called endurance training. Shinji explained that it was to improve how long Ichigo could keep his mask on after summoning it. Currently, it was at a very disappointing time limit of four seconds.

When Rika was done serving the Vizards their lunch, she finally had the time to sit down and really observe her brother. When he summoned his mask at Hiyori's command, she claimed he was taking way too long to get moving after putting it on. While Rika was not going to give any input on it since she did not know anything about a Vizard's training, she did keep a look out for how Ichigo's reiatsu changed whenever he put on his mask. His reiatsu shifted to feel more like his Hollow's own. The general feeling of a Hollow's reiatsu was still there, except the intensity of it was not as strong as when Hollow Ichigo himself was in charge.

The only thing that puzzled her was that she could literally feel when he was about to put on his mask. She was able to sense him gathering Hollow reiatsu way before he materialized his mask. She wondered if it had anything to do with the mask she had, or yesterday's possession, or simply because she was just too used to feeling his ever overflowing reiatsu.

The Vizards agreed among themselves that Ichigo was the worst individual to fare in the endurance training. His uncertainty with controlling the power was understandable, but the time he could keep the mask on was just too pitiful. What good was four seconds on a battlefield? It was only good if he planned on taking his enemy down with a single, guaranteed hit. But knowing him, he would never do that, which basically made the whole thing moot.

All of a sudden, Hachigen was alarmed and announced that someone had entered their hideout. Love asked if it was a Shinigami but he denied it. It was impossible for a Shinigami's kidou to destroy his barrier. Kensei suggested maybe another Vizard was out there but he was wrong too. Because the intruder sneaked in rather than broke in, simply being a Vizard would not have been enough to do that. Meanwhile, Rika had made it a habit to always feel with her spiritual senses first before anything else, and she was glad she did. Ishida always did that, so she thought it was a good idea to follow his example.

"That's surprising. I didn't expect Inoue-senpai to find this place," Rika spoke up, making all the inactive Vizards turn to her. "Ah, Hirako-san knows her."

"Orihime-chan?" Shinji yelped, surprised at the intruder's identity. True enough, it was Inoue that walked down the stairs to the basement. She was there to deliver a message to Ichigo from the Captain-Commander himself. Aizen was planning to invade a realm where a being known as the Spirit King lived in. His goal was to destroy Karakura Town and use every single soul in it to create the King's Key that would enable him to enter that realm.

Inoue was surprised when Ichigo did not look the least worried about the situation. He told her he was surprised, just that it had not fully sunk in yet. He assured her that it would all be fine. He would stop Aizen because he realized he could still get stronger. He thanked her for keeping him posted before returning to his training.

"Nii-san is truly getting stronger, that's why he is not allowing his resolve to waver," Rika said. "It doesn't matter what the enemy is after. He is only concerned with how strong he is and what he must do. Don't you think so, Inoue-senpai?"

"Yes... You're right, Rika-chan," Inoue agreed. "Kurosaki-kun's reiatsu also doesn't feel so dark and scary like last time. But it's different from his usual kindness too. It's so strange..."

"You can tell it's changed, too? You shouldn't be so worried about it, though. Nii-san is still nii-san, no matter what..." Rika said with a sad tone, but it was so light Inoue almost missed it. Feeling her senior's questioning gaze, she assured her that it was something she was coming to terms with and was not such a big matter. Her task done, Inoue bade farewell and left the hideout.

Ichigo went through the endurance training the whole day with Hiyori, but so far showed no signs of improvement. Eventually, Rika decided she had to aid her brother in some way. Seeing him summon the mask so many times triggered her memory of how she infused her own reiatsu to fix the broken mask she was carrying around.

"Nii-san, can I try something?" she went to Ichigo's side.

"Hm? What's wrong?" he asked.

"Try summoning your mask again. I want to test out an idea I have."

"Yeah, okay." As he made the clawing motion he used to materialize his mask, he felt Rika pouring her reiatsu into him. He nearly stumbled in surprise from the sudden ease of summoning the mask. He still had to focus, but it was a lot easier to do so. Once the mask was on, Rika let go of him.

"Wait... Test how long you can hold the mask..." She was panting from exertion and Ichigo could clearly sense her a huge portion of her reiatsu gone.

"Thirty seconds! Are you kidding me?" Kensei exclaimed as he took the time the mask stayed on. It was still not as long as any of the Vizards, but it was a huge leap. "What did you do?"

"I thought... I had done something like this before..." she wheezed. "I just had a feeling... I could help with the summoning of the mask..." She did the same thing to Ichigo like she did when she first acquired his Hollow mask. She infused him with her reiatsu and guided it along as Ichigo called out his Hollow reiatsu. It took an unexpectedly huge toll on her reiatsu.

The last time she infused him with her reiatsu, which was against the Bount Koga and his Doll, it was to suppress his own. At the time, she was only dealing with his Shinigami reiatsu. This time, however, she had to work with both types of reiatsu. It already took a considerable effort just to manipulate his Shinigami reiatsu due to the difference in potency, and now she had to use double to force his Hollow reiatsu under her control as well. She helped refine his terrible reiatsu control and let it flow smoothly as he called out his mask. With her reiatsu mixed in and stabilizing his control, Ichigo had less trouble holding on to it.

"Does this help...?" she took in huge gulps of air.

"No... This isn't worth it," Ichigo felt terrible for shooting down his sister's help. "I have to increase the time limit on my own. I can't have you this worn out even before the fighting starts. The additional time isn't worth the danger to yourself, Rika."

"I... see. I understand, nii-san," Rika was a little dejected, but trusted her brother's judgement. He was always weary every time the mask vanished when he hit the time limit. Now that she thought about it, she was too reckless in making this decision. If she already exhausted her reiatsu to give his mask additional time but it still broke because Ichigo was unable to finish off the enemy in time, he too would get exhausted and both would be caught in a very bad situation. The only time this seemed plausible was when Yukianesa was in Overflow. Even then, she doubted she would have the opportunity to do so often, if at all.

"Rika-chan! Can you please go out and get us some food supplies?" Shinji's lazy voice drawled out.

"Okay!" she immediately obliged to his request, hurriedly rushing to get into her human body and go shopping for her brother's trainers.

"Hey, Hirako! Didn't I tell you to stop treating her like some servant?" Ichigo snapped angrily, having overheard his order.

"Where are you looking at, dickhead? I didn't say you could stop!" Hiyori kicked him again, sending him crashing into another hill yet again.

"I don't have to tell you this, but don't say anything unnecessary, got it?" Shinji's tone got serious for a moment.

"I understand, Hirako-san," Rika bowed slightly before heading upstairs to leave for her volunteer work. She completely understood the hidden warning. If she met anyone familiar, she was not to tell them anything concerning the Vizards.

She made her way to Urahara Shop, becoming their only regular human customer other than Yuzu. She made an effort to patronize his shop, since he did so much to help them. The only things he did not sell in his shop were food that had to be kept under cold temperatures. In that case, she had to go to supermarkets to get them.

"Ah! Welcome, Kurosaki-san," Ururu greeted her warmly as she performed her regular duty of sweeping the front of the shop.

"Hello, Ururu-chan. Is anyone minding the shop?"

"Tessai-san is. Did you need something?"

"Yes. I'm shopping for some food."

"Take your time." Rika walked in, and spread out her senses to see if anyone was in the basement. She detected Inoue, Sado, Urahara, Yoruichi and Renji. Sado and Renji seemed to be training if her senses were not wrong. She decided to see for herself before getting her shopping done. As she made her way to where they were, she overheard Sado arguing with Urahara.

"How can we just ignore her when she's asking us to help her get stronger?" Sado was speaking in a surprisingly loud volume. It must have been something that really disturbed the normally reserved man.

"Aren't you just being emotional? Are you trying to get Inoue-san killed?" Urahara rebuked.

"Of course not! But Inoue's defensive and healing abilities are much more important to us than pure strength!"

"They know about her ability to defend with Santen Kesshun. It probably won't be of any help this time around. As for healing, we have the 4th Division. This time, people on Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Kotetsu's level will be with us on the front lines. The hole left by Inoue-san's presence can easily be filled by people with far superior abilities."

"But-!"

"You're so persistent. My point is simple. A warrior who has lost their ability to fight is only going to be in the way."

"Urahara-san!"

"It's okay, Sado-kun," Inoue finally spoke up. "Thank you, Sado-kun. And thank you very much, Urahara-san. I appreciate your being honest with me. Excuse me!"

"Inoue! Wait!" Sado called out to her as she ran away from them. Renji stopped him, explaining why Urahara's decision was a wise one. Being a more experienced fighter than Sado was, Renji understood why he tried to keep Inoue away from the battlefield. He also made it a point to mention that her personality was unsuited to be a fighter. It was perhaps the best time to tell her. Sado reluctantly let her go and resumed his training.

"You can come out now, Kurosaki-san. Inoue-san's situation applies to you too," Urahara told Rika to show herself.

"Urahara-san..." Rika was feeling conflicted as she looked between him and Inoue's retreating back as he led her away from the two men.

"I have a suspicion that Aizen has his eyes on both you and Inoue-san. I want you to keep an eye on her and prevent any sort of reckless actions on her part. I fear he may capture her in order to use her unique abilities," he informed her.

"Are her defending and healing that unique, Urahara-san?"

"Her healing, particularly so. You were occupied and may have failed to notice, but Inoue-san's healing is not really that. Yoruichi-san has told me that at the beginning, she always spoke the phrase 'I reject' when using her powers. Rather than healing, it is most likely some form of rejection. She may have been rejecting the injury. If my theory is correct, she may even be able to reject death."

"That's... amazing..."

"Aizen must have realized it as well, and may want her powers for himself. To prevent her abduction, I want you to keep a close watch on her. I will admit I was harsh with my words, but it is for her own safety. She cannot defend herself adequately if an Arrancar comes after her."

"I understand, Urahara-san. I'll do my best to protect her."

"Very well. Please do remember that you are likely to be a target as well. Among all of us, only you have a natural advantage against Arrancars with your Shikai. The rest of us need to put more power behind our attacks to penetrate their Hierro. If either, or both of you get attacked, do not hesitate to let any of us know. Inoue-san has a high chance of being targeted for capture, while you have a high chance of being targeted for elimination."

Keeping his words in mind, Rika bade farewell and proceeded with her shopping. After dinner with the Vizards, Hachigen made an unexpected request for Hiyori to bring Inoue back for some business. When she arrived, more like dragged over, Hachigen gave some advice concerning Inoue's Shun Shun Rikka to her and restored the destroyed portion of her hairpins.

Just before she left, he told her the same thing Urahara had told her. He was also against her fighting, especially not against Arrancars. Despite that, she answered that she still wished she could fight. He accepted her decision, reminding her that it did not matter what people say she should be, only how she wanted to be. Rika had a bad feeling as she watched Inoue head upstairs. Already in Shinigami form, she quickly caught up with her senior with Shunpo.

"Wait, Inoue-senpai!" she called.

"What is it, Rika-chan?" Inoue asked in puzzlement.

"This might sound rude, but where do you plan on going?"

"I'm going to Soul Society to train with Kuchiki-san," she answered with a smile. Her smile dropped when Rika turned slightly pale. "Is something wrong, Rika-chan?"

"I heard what Urahara-san and Hachi-san told you. Truthfully, I completely support you in your decision to want to be stronger. But at the same time, I also agree with Urahara-san that you don't belong on the front lines." Inoue frowned, but nodded for her to continue. "Inoue-senpai, this is only a suggestion, but rather than focus on trying to fight, why not focus on getting better at support? Your abilities are more suited for that. Please don't tell me you never realized that."

"I do, Rika-chan, but... I want to be stronger... so I can stand with Kurosaki-kun and the others."

"Urahara-san has told me to watch you, because Aizen is most likely after the both of us. Those Arrancars have the ability to open tunnels that can travel between dimensions. What if they can open their tunnel into the Dangai? Remember what Yoruichi-san said about that place? If they stop you there, no-one will be able to help you. Why not train here in Karakura Town? At least over here, we can detect them if they try to attack. I won't stop you from your training, but I'm afraid I can't let you go to Soul Society. Please understand, Inoue-senpai. Urahara-san was harsh with you, but please realize he's looking out for you."

Inoue did not say anything, thinking about what Rika had just told her. She had already agreed with Rukia to go to Soul Society to train with her, and now Rika was pleading with her not to go because of a possible ambush in the Dangai. She was grateful that she was at least not against her getting stronger but she was firm in her decision to go. She would keep the suggestion to improve her supportive skills in mind.

"I'm sorry, Rika-chan. I already promised Kuchiki-san that I will go with her," she said apologetically.

"Please don't go, Inoue-senpai! There's too many risks if you go there!" Rika pleaded desperately to stop her from going. "At the very least, please train here in Karakura Town!"

"Everything will be okay, Rika-chan. You don't have to worry so much about me," she tried to calm the younger girl. They never realized they had left the hideout and Rukia was waiting outside for Inoue.

"Kuchiki! If it is alright with you, can you please don't go to Soul Society? You can train here, can't you?" Rika turned to Rukia.

"What's all this about? Are you against Inoue getting stronger too?" Rukia accused, her sharp eyes narrowing.

"I'm not against her. I'm just against her going to Soul Society, that's all!" Rika defended herself. She retold everything to Rukia who did not seem happy with her pleas to stay in the Living World.

"I understand what you're saying, but I have to reject Urahara's orders this time. His concerns are unfounded. Inoue will be absolutely safe in Soul Society," Rukia brushed the concern for Inoue aside. She was confident in the safety of Soul Society and Rika could not blame her for that. It was her home, after all.

"But-"

"I will hear no more of this. If you still insist on having us stay, you will have to do it by force," Rukia's tone was cold and spiteful.

"What are you saying, Kuchiki-san?" Inoue was shocked at what her friend just said. "Rika-chan wasn't trying to be rude! She's just worried for me."

"She's the same as Urahara. She's willing to let you train, but in the end you still won't be fighting alongside us. You'll still be watching our backs."

"That's because being on the attack is not her forte! Everyone knows Inoue-senpai does best at defending and healing with her abilities!" Rika argued. "Aren't you taking that factor into account? That's like telling a member of the 4th Division to fight instead of treating his ally's injuries! She's just not suited for combat!"

"Enough! Don't you dare talk like you understand what Inoue is feeling!"

"Of course I do! I was just as weak when I first joined nii-san in being a Shinigami. I understand the feeling of always looking at his back and being unable to do anything to stand by his side. Do you truly understand how important being able to heal your allies is? Despite having the ability to save the lives of your friends, you still think that you're weak and useless just because you can't fight? If that's really how you think, you're insulting every nurse, doctor and healer in this world and the next. Since otou-san is a doctor and nii-san, Yuzu-chan, Karin-chan and me act as nurses whenever we can, you're insulting us as well. And I won't just stand by and let you do that."

Rukia's glare turned even harder as she jabbed her hand into her pocket. She withdrew her Gikongan dispenser and swallowed a pill. Her body ejected from the gigai, Chappy now inside it.

"Wait a minute, Kuchiki-san!" Inoue saw where this was going. The argument had escalated into a fight and Rukia was the first to take a threatening stance by drawing her Zanpakutou.

"Why did it have to come to this...? Don't you get how important Inoue-senpai is to us all? What she needs is not fighting ability like us. She needs to get more proficient and get even better with her healing and defending. What is so wrong with training here instead of at Soul Society?" Rika sounded extremely remorseful, the sadness emanating from her was felt very clearly by Inoue.

"I'll say this one last time. Try to stop us again, and I will take you down," Rukia said.

"I'm sorry, but I have to. It's not only because it's Urahara-san's instructions, but it's to make sure no danger falls upon Inoue-senpai," Rika drew her own Zanpakutou, but her stance was very hesitant and unwilling. Rukia's stance was poised to attack, and attack she did. Rika was indeed not willing to attack, but she would definitely defend herself if attacked.

**Author's Note: Rika has an idea for extending Ichigo's mask time but is rejected due to the exhaustion she brings to herself. Having manipulating his reiatsu before, she believes it is a plausible idea at the time.**

**When she goes shopping at Shinji's request, she overhears Sado arguing with Urahara concerning Inoue's desire to get stronger. Urahara tells her to look after Inoue and explains why Aizen is after her for her unique way of healing. While not as high a priority, Rika might also be a target due to her natural advantage against Arrancars.**

**That night, Hachigen calls Inoue over to repair her Shun Shun Rikka and to give some parting advice. Rika does not oppose her getting stronger, but believes she is focusing on a wrong aspect of her power. She pleads for her to stay and train in Karakura Town but to no avail.**

**Rukia is vehemently against it and accuses Rika of siding with Urahara. Remember that at this point in time, her impression of Urahara has already dropped since he refused to help Inoue get stronger. Believing that Rika is also against Inoue, she threatens that if she wants them to stay, she has to force them. ****Rika retorts by saying that she does not understand and undermines the importance of having the ability to heal. ****That is enough to provoke Rukia into removing her gigai and getting into a confrontation with her.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	45. When Beliefs Clash

"Don't get in our way, Rika!" Rukia snarled as she slammed her Zanpakutou into Rika's own.

"I'm not! I only want you to train here instead of at Soul Society!" Rika repeated herself again as she parried away the blow.

"That won't do! She will get stronger faster in Soul Society because of the spirit particles there!"

"That is no reason to ignore the dangers of traveling there and back! Even if the results gained are not as good here, the danger level is not as high!"

No more words were exchanged as both girls fought each other, sticking to their own beliefs. Neither of them was wrong, but when facts opposed each other, it became a matter of opinions. When opinions clashed, arguments were formed. When arguments went too far, fights broke out. In the end, no-one was really the victor. All that was left were meaningless wounds on both their bodies and feelings. However, this sad fact could only be realized after the fight was over and done with, and it was just beginning.

Inoue could do nothing but watch. She wanted to use her Santen Kesshun to stop the fight but something told her it would not work. Rukia was the only one attacking and Rika was only defending. Stopping Rukia would only make matters worse. She needed her to open the Senkaimon anyway, otherwise she would have no choice but to stay in Karakura Town.

Rukia was feeling very peeved, but she was still able to think clearly in the heat of battle. After having all her blows either blocked, dodged or parried, she grudgingly conceded to herself that she was unlikely to get past Rika's guard. She had accepted the fact that her Zanjutsu paled in comparison to almost all her Shinigami friends, and with the Kurosaki siblings having trained under Urahara, she should have expected as much. She then decided to switch to the Shinigami Art she felt most comfortable with.

**"Bakudou 1, Sai!" **she called out the first binding spell that came to her mind. Even though it was a fight, she opted to try not to harm Rika too much. If she was hurt, Ichigo would be sour with her for weeks on end. Despite her anger, she had actually planned to only knock her away and then make a break for it. That plan did not work at all. She decided to turn to Kidou for help. If there was one thing she had an advantage over the Substitute Shinigami siblings on, it was that. All official Shinigamis had to train with all four Shinigami arts no matter how bad they were at any particular subject. Whether they dropped a certain subject is up to them. The siblings only had Zanjutsu and Hohou under their belts, and only Ichigo had some experience with Hakuda.

As expected, Rika had no idea what to do when faced off against Kidou. She had probably expected something to appear from her index and middle fingers, looking for the obvious signs of a forming projectile. Unfortunately, some Bakudou did not show any visual evidence of forming, such as Sai.

"Wha-?" Rika gasped as her arms locked behind her back like someone had just tied very tight ropes to bind them. She nearly dropped her Zanpakutou from the weird position her arms ended up in. She tried to move them but they would not budge. Forcing down the panic that threatened to build up in her, she remained calm to try and figure out what she could do to escape.

_"Yeah, that midget uttered some weird words and pointed her fingers at me. Suddenly my arms were jammed behind me."_

_"How did you free yourself, nii-san?"_

_"I don't know. I was desperate to save Yuzu, so I just forced myself to just break out."_

The memory of a past conversation she had with Ichigo the night after he first gained his powers sprung to her mind. He told her what had happened during the time she had been gone shopping while the Hollow attacked their home. Deciding to do exactly what he did, she gathered her reiatsu to reinforce her entire body to forcefully break out of the binding. With a yell, she forced her arms apart as the invisible symbols scattered away.

Rukia remembered that incident as well, muttering under her breath how ridiculous the siblings were for breaking free of her Bakudou like barbarians. She decided to try a more powerful Bakudou, but Rika had learned enough. The moment she tried to release it, she immediately jumped out of the way, causing the invisible hit to miss. Knowing she would not get caught by a Bakudou that easily anymore, Rukia turned to Hadou.

**"Hadou 31, Shakkahou!" **Seeing the red ball of fire form on her open palm made Rika even more cautious. She picked up her speed and closed the distance by coming in from the side, avoiding the fireball along the way. Rukia had contemplated using Byakurai for its faster speed but decided to forego it because of the potential piercing damage. Burns were minor compared to getting pierced from front to back with a hole the size of a finger.

Rukia blocked Rika's very first assault, gritting her teeth as she held her guard. She estimated that her physical strength was roughly equivalent to her own, meaning she would not be overwhelmed with brute force. She hazarded a guess that they were roughly even in terms of overall power. Their physical prowess was even. Rika had the advantage of being more proficient in Zanjutsu while Rukia had Kidou to back her up. Only speed and their respective Shikais were left unaccounted for.

Forced into close combat, Rukia returned to Zanjutsu as she clashed swords with Rika who was finally attacking. It was here she realized the younger Kurosaki was just a tad faster than her with neither using Shunpo yet, but nothing that she could not keep up with. Although her reaction was not as good, the swings she failed to block were deftly avoided. For ten minutes, it was a stalemate. She was defending more often than attacking and Rika did not allow her time or space to cast a suitably efficient kidou.

As the fight dragged on, the reiatsu they were emitting were slowly making itself known to the spiritually sensitive people inhabiting Karakura Town. The Vizards were the first to notice, taking note of the Shinigami reiatsu they did not recognize. Whoever it was, they assumed the Shinigami had noticed Inoue leaving from what should be empty space and decided to investigate. Rika had engaged the Shinigami, probably due to being suspected of suspicious activity and to protect their secret. What Shinigami would not assume that when they see two people appearing from thin air?

For those stationed further in Karakura Town, they sensed Rukia fighting another Shinigami, one they did not recognize. Due to Rika's relative inactivity during Ichigo's invasion to Soul Society, none of the Shinigamis really got a good feel of her reiatsu besides Urahara and Yoruichi. Although Rukia's opponent was not a Hollow or an Arrancar, they decided not to risk anything and rushed over to their location. It was a law in Soul Society that Shinigamis were strictly forbidden from fighting among themselves, the exception being training and sparring. This was a cause for investigation.

"Oh dear... Things must have gotten really sour for you to get into a physical dispute with Kuchiki-san, Kurosaki-san..." Urahara lamented ever so slightly. Sado and Renji were still deep in their training to really feel the reiatsu. They had not taken the fight to a higher level yet, so their reiatsu emissions had not built up that high and easily missed by those who were occupied or otherwise distracted. Informing Tessai that he was leaving to make sure things did not get any worse, he took off as well.

After fruitless attempts at trying to stop each other from achieving their respective goals, precious time was ultimately wasted because neither were actually trying to seriously harm the other. Shakkahous and Soukatsuis were shot at less than half of Rukia's preferred power and were dodged. If not, they were easily extinguished by a reiatsu-enhanced slash by Rika. Rika, on the other hand, just had no will to properly attack Rukia.

However, it was still in Rika's favor because Rukia could not leave without at least knocking her down. And that meant really meaning to harm her which would put her very deep in Ichigo's bad books. It was a lose-lose situation for her. However, she still refused to just give up like that. The time she stayed in the Kuchiki household would not allow her to leave such a stain on her pride and honor. She was getting increasingly frustrated while Rika was getting increasingly desperate.

"I hate that it has come to this, but this needs to end," Rukia declared, steeling her resolve. "Tell Ichigo that I am sorry I had to hurt you for the better good. **Dance, Sode no Shirayuki." **Rika frowned heavily at the implication that Rukia was finally ready to warrant an injury serious enough to keep her down for her to bring Inoue to Soul Society.

_"What are you going to do now, Master?" _Yukianesa asked with amused curiosity. _"Are you going to release me? Or are you confident enough that you can take her on just the way you are?"_

"I don't want to hurt her. I'm not going to release," Rika stated firmly. She could nearly feel the mental shrug from Yukianesa.

_"Suit yourself. I'll wager a quarter of your reiryoku that you'll have to release to avoid losing."_

"Huh?" Rika refrained from physically blanching. "Why are you using _my _reiryoku as your wager?"

_"Haven't you heard of the saying 'Your things are my things'?"_

"That's something bullies say! Besides, you feast on my reiryoku all the time! If it's not important, please don't distract me Yukianesa!"

_"Hmph, how boring! And I thought I could help make things a little more fun!"_

**"Some no Mai..." **Rukia's incantation snapped Rika's focus back to her. She saw her Shunpo just past her and made a slashing motion her Zanpakutou, causing a white ring to appear on the ground. **"Tsukishiro!"** Having seen it recently, Rika remembered what the technique did and used her own Shunpo to get out before the pillar of ice consumed her. If she had been a second slower, she would have been frozen solid.

_'Fast! ...No, it's just above average speed,' _Rukia corrected herself as she was actually surprised she missed. She had made sure to decrease Tsukishiro's power just enough that it would only freeze her in place and not kill her. Because of the drop in power, it was naturally faster as well, hence her surprise when Rika managed to escape. Now adding Shunpo into the fight, they were blurring around rapidly. _'Her Shunpo is almost like a halfway point between Ichigo's Shikai and Bankai Shunpo. She's only slightly faster than Ichigo's Shikai, but she gets into Shunpo almost as fast as his Bankai,' _Rukia noted after exchanging a few more blows with her. She had seen Ichigo's speed in Bankai for herself. She was totally unable to see his Shunpo, only him getting into it.

Rukia had enough experience with her Shikai to know that if her techniques failed to hit, Sode no Shirayuki was no different than a regular katana because the shape did not change. Most Shikais changed the shape of the Zanpakutou. That was why most Shinigamis had different fighting styles between their unreleased Zanpakutou and their Shikai. Rukia had no such advantage. She was back to square one, though she had the option to use her Shikai's abilities in conjunction with her Kidou.

Even with the reduced power, the spike of reiatsu caused by the initial Tsukishiro was enough to catch the attention of even those who were busy. That meant Ichigo, Sado, Renji and Hiyori.

"What? Rukia... and... Rika?" What are they doing?" Ichigo momentarily stopped his training as he focused his senses to detect where they were. It was just a short distance away from the Vizard's hideout. Ever since he conquered his inner Hollow, he was able to detect his friends' reiatsu signals a lot better with Rika being the easiest to find. "Are they... training?"

"Doesn't seem like it. Feels more like a fight to me," Shinji replied. "That Shinigami's reiatsu shot up just a second ago when it was about even since they started fighting."

"Fighting? Who started it?"

"It was the Shinigami. I sensed it first before I sensed Rika-san's reiatsu," Hachigen answered.

"Shit!" Ichigo cursed as he hurriedly made his way out to stop the two girls.

Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Rangiku and Toushirou arrived to see them engaging one another. The first thing that came to mind was why were two allies fighting one another? They could tell from first glance that it was not training.

"Abarai, stop them!" Toushirou ordered and Renji went on ahead to do as he was told. He arrived at the same time Ichigo did. Renji held back Rukia while Ichigo held back his own sister.

"What are you doing fighting out here?" they both demanded from them.

"Renji! Let me go!" Rukia yelled as he held her arms back.

"Nii-san!" Rika yelped in surprise as he yanked her backwards. She cringed when she caught the highly disapproving look in his eyes. He clearly did not appreciate allies fighting with each other with the intent to cause serious harm.

"Both of you explain what's going on here!" Toushirou shouted when he caught up with them.

"She-" Both of them started at the same time, causing them to turn and face one another. "You first," Rika quickly offered when Rukia glared heatedly at her. She gave her report on her point of view and what she intended to do with Inoue.

"And what about you, Kurosaki?" Toushirou turned to Rika. She explained that she never intended to stop Rukia from helping Inoue, just that she had some issues concerning them training in Soul Society, abiding by Urahara's request that she was to make sure Inoue was not doing anything reckless.

"Yes, that is correct. I had indeed made that request to Kurosaki-imouto-san," Urahara spoke up as he arrived as well. "I was not expecting a fight to break out of all things. I was just putting in measures to make sure Aizen did not get his hands on Inoue-san."

"What? Inoue is...?" Ichigo was shocked at the revelation.

"Yes. That is what I predict Aizen will do. Inoue-san's method of healing is unique, and he may want to study it and use that power for his ambitions. Just like both Kuchiki-san and your sister have said, I did refuse to aid her in getting stronger."

"But why? What's so wrong about Inoue trying to become stronger? Isn't that a good thing?" Ichigo argued, taking Inoue's side just like Sado did.

"In this case, no. The task of getting stronger belongs to everyone here except for her. Do you want her to die fighting against enemies she has no chance of defeating?"

"That isn't the point!"

"That _is_ the point, Kurosaki-san. If that Arrancar named Yammy can destroy Inoue-san's only form of attack and break her Santen Kesshun with a single punch, what makes you believe there won't be stronger Arrancars when the fighting begins?"

"...Tch!" Ichigo could not deny that fact.

"Inoue-san's place can never be on the battlefield. Acknowledge that fact, Kurosaki-san."

"Even so, if Inoue wants to get stronger, than let her get stronger! There's nothing wrong with that!" Ichigo was just as much in protest as Sado was.

"...Very well. If you insist that strongly as well..." Urahara let out a heavy sigh as he used his hat to hide his eyes. "Kurosaki-imouto-san, let Inoue-san go with Kuchiki-san. It appears this is something the others will never accept. I'm sorry for making you go through this trouble, Kurosaki-imouto-san. It won't do for us to get in trouble with Soul Society. We have to work together if we wish to defeat Aizen."

"Yes..." Rika answered with a resigned tone. She apologized to everyone for causing unnecessary alarm and reluctantly stepped away from them. Certain that things have cooled down, everyone returned back to their respective hangouts. Wary of the fact that the Vizard's hideout was close by, Rika opted to walk slowly back with Ichigo by her side. "Nii-san."

"Hm?" he turned his gaze to her.

"Was I wrong?" Her eyes pleaded for him to give an answer that would ease her doubts.

"I get that you were worried for Inoue, but I can't really say if you were right or wrong. I only know you tried to do what you thought was right. Don't worry about it. I'm sure the captains in Soul Society wouldn't leave Inoue unprotected."

"If you say so, nii-san..."

When they returned, Hiyori was quick to pounce on Ichigo and hound him back into endurance training so she could enjoy kicking him into hills over and over again. Not wanting to waste time doing nothing except tending to the Vizard's sometimes petty demands, she approached Shinji and requested some training of her own.

"You do realize we can't do our kind of training with you?" Shinji quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, but surely you can help me with fighting in general, right?" she pressed.

"Depends on what kind," he shrugged before his face turned thoughtful. "Come to think of it, we've never seen you fight yet, Rika-chan. Why don't you spar with all of us so we can get an idea? How about it?"

"I'm counting on you!" she bowed in gratitude. They were Shinigami before they became Vizards, so she knew they could help her in some way.

"How about you guys?" Shinji asked his fellow Vizards, purposely forgetting to ask Hiyori. None of them minded except for Mashiro and Hachigen. Mashiro disliked sparring with a passion since that meant she had to work, something she would avoid as best as she could. Hachigen was in charge of maintaining the barrier, so he was naturally unable to join in. Hiyori was furious when she was the last to be told and Ichigo looked like he was about to protest but held his tongue.

"Alright! First up is m-" Shinji was interrupted by a slipper to the face courtesy of Hiyori.

"Like hell, dickhead! You think you can just ignore me and get away with it? I'm up first!" she stole the pole position. "Alright! Let's see what you got, sister!" Unfortunately for her, because of her love for overpowering her opponents with brute strength, her power fell to pieces when confronted with Rika's affinity for defensive fighting.

The current score was Rika - 5 : Hiyori - 0. Rika would have gotten in five hits if she had not stopped herself from connecting. With a score no-one expected, Hiyori was rapidly losing her composure. Ichigo, who was initially worried Rika would get hurt, was now thoroughly enjoying the ass-kicking she was delivering to Hiyori. He was sure Hiyori would pay him back during endurance training but for now, he would enjoy it for all its worth.

"Damn it all to hell! Don't just stand there like a scarecrow!" Hiyori screamed and charged Rika again.

"She never learns, does she?" Love let out a half-amused sigh.

"That's for sure. Just look at how Rika-chan fights. There's no way Hiyori can beat her like that," Shinji agreed.

"A defense-based Zanjutsu style. That girl leaves behind very few openings, and those that Hiyori goes after ends up getting countered or a feint that actually makes her open to attack," Kensei deducted.

"A beautiful method of fighting," Rose praised. Lisa had no comment as she just watched the spar with utmost concentration. After conceding another two points, Shinji called for a switch with Hiyori after her time was up. She was fuming and her fingers were itching to call out her Hollow mask which he had clearly stated was not allowed to be used.

"Alright. Let's see how you fare against me. Get ready, Rika-chan!" Shinji drew his Zanpakutou with a wide grin on his face.

"Yes! Let's start!" Unlike Hiyori, Rika found Shinji being more careful with his strikes and while she had no trouble defending, she was finding it difficult to find an opening for her to take advantage of. Since it was sparring, he was probably holding back. She doubted she would have even lasted that long if he was serious.

"What are you thinking about?" Shinji's voice brought her back to her fight. Her face was full of surprise as she had allowed doubt to slip into her mind and caused her to be distracted. "You shouldn't get distracted like that no matter what kind of fight you're in. You just might die because of it." With a heavy swing, Rika was sent crashing into a hill.

"Hey, Hirako! Hold back a little!" Ichigo yelled, his protective side coming to the surface as he ran up to Shinji.

"What are you on about? I am holding back, idiot," Shinji deadpanned as he watched Rika rise from the rubble.

"One more time, please," she requested.

"Why don't you try attacking me for a change, Rika-chan?"

"Eh? Um, I..." Rika started fidgeting.

"I thought so. Listen, Rika-chan. We can all tell you're still somewhat a novice when it comes to fighting. We acknowledge your style is pretty darn good, but only against certain types of opponents. Barbarians such as Hiyori, is one example."

"Hey!" Said example yelled in protest.

"Looks like we'll have to work on getting you to act rather than react. You're never going to take anyone down if the fight is always being brought to you."

"That's not true! Rika did better than me during the last attack!" Ichigo supported his sister.

"And didn't get the job done either," he countered. "From what I can tell, there's no fear and hesitation in her sword. She's not afraid to cut down enemies who go after her. She's not afraid to attack. Frankly, she's already prepared to fight like a Shinigami. The problem is, she doesn't know how to attack in the normal sense. For her, the term 'attack' means 'strike back', not 'strike on initiative'."

"What?" Both the siblings echoed. Even Rika did not know or notice that flaw in herself.

"A subconscious decision, huh? We'll have to fix that too," he recognized the cause. "It might stem from her own personality or her upbringing but I won't assume anything. It could be any number of reasons why. It might even be because she is so used to fighting her way that attacking first is simply 'just not her style' to the point it has become like a foreign concept to her fighting instincts."

"Is that kind of thing possible?" Ichigo found it hard to believe even though it sounded very convincing.

"Which enemies do you normally take the initiative with, Rika-chan?"

"Common Hollows..." she answered timidly.

"In other words, enemies you are absolutely certain you can win against. How about those you know will put up a hard fight? How do you attack them?"

"I..." Her mind flashed back to all of the fights she had been in so far even since she picked up her own unique Zanjutsu style. She recalled that she rarely made a purely offensive maneuver, only doing so when she was thought it was safe to hit. Or at least that was what she believed.

_"Who are you trying to convince here, Master?"_ Yukianesa asked before Rika could say a word. She had figured out what her wielder was about to say. _"As your Zanpakutou, I know how you feel whenever you fight. Whenever you go on the offensive, you are forcing yourself to do so. It's only a small thing, but your body always locks up for a split-second before you attack offensively, but never for your counters. That shows me you're making a conscious decision. You shouldn't do that, Master. It's a recipe for disaster. You should never think about things such as whether an overhead or a side swing is better, or whether your attack is safe from a counter or not."_

The words died in Rika's mouth. She did not know that either.

"I... make a conscious decision before I attack," she repeated what she was told to Shinji. Yukianesa was a mischievous little devil whenever she could afford to be but even while teasing Rika, she never once forgot her role as a Zanpakutou. She would always lend her a helping hand whenever she was troubled. Even if half her criticisms were delivered in a childish manner, she never sugarcoated them. Rika learned early to listen to her and accept those faults as she highly doubted Yukianesa would attempt to sabotage her. It would be detrimental to herself in turn if she did that.

"...You really have your work cut out for you..." Shinji hung his head, placing his free hand on it and shaking his head almost sympathetically. Ichigo, on the other hand, appeared just about ready to murder someone. Following his gaze, she could tell he was blaming Yukianesa for not correcting that fatal flaw until now. It was something that could kill her, and he knew that. If Rika died because she was not told about it by her Zanpakutou who knew all along, he would never forgive Yukianesa for as long as he lived. He did not care that she would perish along with his sister. To him, it was murder, and even death would not ease his hatred.

**Author's Note: Rika and Rukia face off with one another but there is no conclusive end to it because...**

**1. They never really wanted to hurt each other.**

**2. They were the only ones fighting in the open, getting everyone's attention.**

**Toushirou breaks it up and Urahara relents to Rukia's decision, letting Inoue go. This marks the start of the one month rest before the next Arrancar invasion. Ichigo continues with his endurance training while Rika requests for the Vizards to train her like how Urahara did for the siblings.**

**Shinji easily figures out Rika's fighting style just by watching her spar with Hiyori. He agrees that her Zanjutsu is impressive but the main problem was her subconscious habits while fighting. They discover that her reluctance to make the first move comes from how Rika interprets the term 'attack'. They also find a fatal flaw among her habits, one that can cost her life.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	46. From Hot To Cold

If anyone asked, Yukianesa would gladly say that she really enjoyed being Rika's Zanpakutou. Her affinity with Jinzen was so strong she did not have to concentrate to speak with her. They could talk as if they were right next to each other. As happy as she was, that was not to say she was completely satisfied with her wielder.

For one, it was her fighting habits. The girl was just too scared... No, that was not right. She downright refused to make the first hit unless she was pissed or it was against common Hollows. Her refusal to do so was so strong it ingrained itself into her fighting instincts. That was a huge problem the Vizards were currently trying to fix, and Yukianesa had been subtly encouraging Rika to get over.

*Flashback*

Rika had encountered a common Hollow during one of her nightly patrols of Karakura Town. Rather than immediately dispatching it, she actually opted to see and wait if it would attack anybody.

_"What are you doing, you big idiot!" _Yukianesa screamed at her. _"Stop watching and take it out already!"_

"But what if it is just taking a stroll through town? It would be wrong to kill it," Rika actually defended the Hollow's current actions. At the moment, it was just floating in the air and looking around randomly. It really looked like it was taking a stroll if not for the obvious intent to feed on human souls. Since it did not detect her tailing it, it probably had little to no detection ability.

_"Are you crazy? It's obvious it's hunting for souls! Just how dense can you be?"_

"Let's just wait and see first, alright?" Rika tried to appease her increasingly frustrated Zanpakutou. That was one of the very rare moments that Yukianesa rebelled against her decisions. The other rare moments were... not as serious. In fact, it was just her refusing to listen when Rika said no to her sticking her hand inside her soul and taking out random food for her to snack on whenever she decided to hang around in the real world.

Yukianesa materialized herself in a fit of anger and tried to wrestle the sword away from Rika. The racket they made drew the attention of the Hollow 'innocently' floating by. As it approached with a hungry look in its soulless eyes, it also bore witness to something else. During their scuffle, Yukianesa had yanked on Rika's shihakushou hard enough on one side that both layers of the upper uniform slid off over her shoulders, showing the world one half of a pair of hills that were prominently on females. All three froze in their movements at that instant as if it was a sacred moment to behold. All three pairs of eyes were automatically drawn to the exposed hill.

"Cute," Yukianesa commented as a sly, mischievous smile graced her lips.

"Breasts..." the Hollow groaned, identifying itself as male. Drool was dripping from his open mouth as his eyes remained fixed at a certain target.

Rika turned extremely red as tears of humiliation built up in her eyes as she hurriedly fixed her shihakushou. Letting out a loud scream, she slayed the Hollow who just floated there and did nothing to avoid the frontal attack.

"Remember, Master. When you see a Hollow like that, you don't take chances to 'see' if they go after souls. If you do, things like this will happen again," Yukianesa could not keep from smiling victoriously at her.

"I got it already!" Rika screamed as she wiped away her tears, glaring at her accusingly.

"Very well, Master. Remember to attack, or else," she left behind a threat as she returned to the inner world.

*End Flashback*

Yukianesa smiled as she remembered that memory. Ever since then, Rika never took chances like that again. Although Hollows as well, Arrancars were entirely different things. For them, she allowed her to fight her own way without hanging the threat in front of her face. At the moment, she was closely watching how the Vizards would settle the problem that Rika had subconsciously made for herself.

They were ruthless, especially Kensei. According to his own words, he was not mature enough to hold back against kids and girls. But since it was for training, he held back just enough so that Rika would not get killed or get any debilitating or permanent injuries. He did not refrain from anything such as slashing her so she would bleed or smashing his knee into her face. He called them spoils of training. He was a firm believer of no pain, no gain.

Ichigo had to be constantly held down by the others during Kensei's sessions with her. That was because she was almost always knocked unconscious with deep wounds all over her body when Kensei was done. Being the brother that he was, he was blinded with fury when he saw the state his sister ended up in. He accused him of abuse because to him, training should never have to go that far. Kensei took offense to that, claiming that if she did not get used to the pain, she would never last long against anyone. Being a non-fighter before she became a Shinigami, tolerance for pain was something her body was not used to.

Inside Rika's inner world, Yukianesa agreed. The only reason Rika had lasted as long as she did against Grimmjow was because of the partial healing. If not for it, she would have been down from his first hit. She would not have lost consciousness, but she would not have been able to get up from the attack at all. Still, she was glad Rika did not complain no matter how harsh the training got. She was gradually getting stronger and tougher. Her hesitancy to attack was partially gone. She no longer froze when making a purely offensive move, but she still needed pushing to do so.

Yukianesa was very proud of her wielder. She enjoyed being pampered, usually on demand, and Rika was not a disappointment when it came to fighting. She decided she would reward Rika with another technique once the Vizards felt satisfied with her progress. Perhaps she should give another reward as well? Yukianesa licked her lips in anticipation as her red eyes lit up with mischief and a bit of lust.

**"Heh. Didn't know you swung that way," **a familiar echoed voice commented along before his presence vanished from her senses four seconds later.

"Be silent, Mr. Hollow. I really do not like your presence here," her playful demeanor dropped in an instant. Ever since Rika's possession, Hollow Ichigo was able to materialize himself in her inner world for as long as Ichigo was using his Hollow powers. At the moment, it was only for a few seconds. Because of that, he was more than happy to stay hidden. He was still able to hear her despite his physical absence, although that meant he would not be able to reply.

According to him, he had left behind a piece of himself during his possession of Rika's body that could only appear as long as Ichigo was using his powers. Yukianesa opted to exterminate him right then and there if not for him assuring that Rika was in no danger of being possessed by him again. He went on to say that he was merely a 'useful ornament' to her soul. He made it a point that Zangetsu was not with him, not even his version of the Zanpakutou. He had no rights to that weapon as long as he mingled in Rika's inner world. He even outright admitted Yukianesa would beat him hands down anytime. Assured that he was nothing more than a pesky presence who took delight in making snarky comments, Yukianesa allowed him to stay in Rika's inner world but not without her doubts.

Rika, not surprisingly, had no problems with the new addition to her soul. She was glad to have her 'onii-san' with her. She loved him as much as a normal younger sister would even though she was not as familiar with him than she was with Ichigo. She had absolutely no thoughts of incest. She was still quite innocent, being extremely embarrassed whenever confronted with anything remotely related to sex.

When the Vizards left her to take a well-deserved rest, Yukianesa appeared next to Rika with a pout on her face. Hollow Ichigo had effectively ruined her good mood and flipped it around. Sensing it, Rika combed her fingers gently down her scalp and hair, easing the spirit's tension.

"Master, I think you're ready for a new technique. I'll be generous this time, so I'll let you choose which type of technique you want," Yukianesa told her as she enjoyed the pampering. "Do you want the power to attack? Or do you want the power to defend?" Rika stopped her actions to properly think about what she wanted, ignoring the disdained look on Yukianesa's face when the pampering stopped.

Weighing her options carefully, she thought about what she thought was best. She recapped in her mind all the techniques she could currently use. The first technique she learned was the partial healing followed by the icicle shot. Then she had the Koori no Ame, a dual-function move that could operate as both an offensive and a defensive technique. Her latest technique, Fuyu no Kata: Yukikaze, was basically a counter move. She had the Overflow as well, but it was more of a situation-based condition than a technique. So far, she had a balanced variety of everything. She then remembered Yukianesa mentioning that she had techniques that could only be performed while in Overflow. At her current state, Overflow was pretty much bonus juice for her more taxing techniques. She did not have much use for it. Perhaps now was the time for her to expand her arsenal.

"I would like an Overflow technique," Rika declared her wish.

"Ho..." Yukianesa looked mildly impressed. "What an ambitious goal. Are you that hungry for power, Master?"

"N-No! I mean..." Rika starting becoming flustered under the teasing gaze of her Zanpakutou spirit. "I just want to have a balanced move set!"

"You sound just like a character in a fighting game. A move set? Really?" Rika started spluttering as she racked her brain for something more appropriate. Yukianesa took a lot of guilty pleasure from this. Rika got extremely uncomfortable whenever she felt she was being paid very close attention to. It made it so easy for Yukianesa to tease her. "Can't you use a more noble term such as a repertoire?"

"Ah... Ah..." Rika felt pathetic at that very moment. She felt like Yukianesa was standing on a grand pedestal that overshadowed her entire being and laughing down at her haughtily.

"Surely you didn't expect to shoot a projectile just by thinking of a quarter-circle forward motion, did you? Hmm?"

"No, of course not! I'm not that silly!"

"Yes, of course you're not. You realize that a button has to be pressed to complete the move. How sharp of you, Master."

"That's not the point! Stop treating me like a video game addict!"

"Oh, my! What a rude thing to imply! I would never demean my master to that extent! I must respect that my master's life goal is to perform a Shoryuken, her life's hope to perform a Hadouken and her life's dream to perform a Tatsumaki Sen-"

"No! Stop! Enough!" Rika wailed, hastily covering Yukianesa's mouth to prevent any further verbal abuse from being dished out. However, the damage was done when Ichigo came to check on her when he heard her screaming.

"Rika, what's the... Oh, you," Ichigo went from concerned to deadpanned.

"Yes, me. Good afternoon, Kurosaki Ichigo-san. Or should I say, Mr. Idiot," Yukianesa greeted with a graceful curtsy and an insult. A tick mark appeared on Ichigo's head when he heard that. He often wished that Rika had gotten any other Zanpakutou besides Yukianesa. He could not stand the way she hurled insults while looking like a graceful individual.

"...So, what kind of trouble are you giving Rika now, huh?" he asked as neutrally as he could.

"I do not believe I am giving Master any problems," she answered easily as she twirled her hair with a finger.

"Like I'd believe that. Rika doesn't scream if she isn't troubled. So spill."

"Oh yes, we were talking about how Master wishes she could do a Hadouken with her mind."

"Hadou- Are you freaking kidding me?" Ichigo quickly caught the reference to a very famous fighting game. "How the hell do you even know about that?"

"Even if Master doesn't touch the game, you would at least expect her to pick up a few things from watching you play." Despite their Substitute Shinigami status, they still had some free time to themselves. Rika did accompany Ichigo to arcades once in a while to watch him play. He usually only went when his class had no homework assigned or he had completed it before school was over. It was also where all of Yuzu and Karin's stuffed toys came from. Ichigo was generally good when it came to fighting games. Rika, on the other hand, was good at crane-catcher games. By some miracle, or maybe because of their activities as Shinigamis, Ichigo and Rika were at the top of the scoreboard for every side-scrolling and vertical-scrolling shooter games available at the local arcade, even the 'bullet hell' ones. When asked by some of the regulars, Ichigo would mention the bullets were 'slow, very slow' when in all sense of the game they were fast. Rika chalked her success to a more modest 'good reaction'. Shunpo did wonders for their kinetic vision, but they were not going to tell anybody that.

"I said no such thing!" Rika protested. "You just made that up on your own!"

"Who was the one who labeled my techniques as a move set, I wonder?" Yukianesa shot her a knowing look.

"T-That was just a slip of the tongue!"

"Oh well, I suppose I won't mind forgiving you this time. At the very least, aren't you glad you have so much more than just one boring technique a certain someone has?"

"What was that, you damn brat?" Ichigo hissed angrily, knowing that she was jabbing at him. Out of every one of their allies, he was the only one known for having only one technique. Power-ups did not count. Sado also only had one technique, but he was not included because his energy blast did not have a name. "I can use that technique in a variety of ways! Don't underestimate me!"

"Of course I won't. Why would I? After all, I believe the Getsuga Tenshou represents you more than you represent it."

"What? Are you implying that the Getsuga Tenshou is my only worth?"

"Am I wrong?"

"Hell yes, you are! Why are you claiming that my technique means more than me? That's like saying a pair of sunglasses represent a man wearing them more than the man himself!"

"Wow, you got the point. I'm surprised you actually understood me," Yukianesa gave him a mildly surprised look.

"Don't take me for an idiot, damn you!"

"Besides, I'm getting tired hearing you yell the same thing over and over again. Why not say something different for a change? Maybe something like 'Oh, Fang of the Moon! Grant me the power to strike down my foes!' Doesn't that sound more interesting?"

"I'm not from some magical girl anime! If anything, you're the one that fits that theme!"

"So says the person who went around screaming about the Power of Righteousness."

"That doesn't count!" Ichigo's face turned red from remembering the embarrassing memories. However, thanks to that, he realized he was getting into yet another pointless argument with Yukianesa. Rika was looking rather loss at whose side to take. "Forget it. Just get back to whatever you two were doing."

"Oh, done already? I was hoping for a bit more," she taunted him. She smiled slyly at seeing his quivering shoulders as he held down his temper. "I don't mind stopping for now, but you owe me some loss time."

"I don't owe you anything," he muttered his reply as he turned his back to leave.

"Don't be irresponsible. Pay your dues." That statement was followed by a high-pitched scream from Rika. Turning back in surprise, Ichigo saw Rika slumping into the ground while Yukianesa had a huge bowl of sweets in her hands.

"Where did you get that from?" he demanded. "And what happened to her?"

"Why...?" Rika groaned. "Why are you taking payment from me...?"

"Because only your reiryoku has taste to me. Anyone else's will taste like regular water," she replied with a dazzling smile as she popped a piece of candy into her mouth. "Anyway, shoo, shoo. I don't want your idiocy to spread to us," she gestured to Ichigo like he was a stray puppy. Although pissed at being treated like a lesser being, he left the duo alone so they can start on their supposed training.

"Alright, Master. I shall grant your desire for a technique usable only during the Overflow state. Are you prepared to earn it? After all, my techniques are never free." She popped another candy into her mouth before dismissing the rest of the bowl, ignoring Rika's glare at the realization that she took out a huge portion of her reiryoku just for the fun of it.

"Of course," Rika's eyes shone with determination as she stood back up. "Whenever you are ready, Yukianesa."

"Well, you aren't ready. Aren't you forgetting something really important, Master?" she glared at her with slight disdain. Her look was returned with one of confusion. "Activate Shikai, you silly bum. Do I have to tell you even that?"

"Oh, sorry!" Rika hastily activated Shikai. She was instructed to sit down in her usual Jinzen stance. Once done, Yukianesa pulled her cape to enlarge it into a large white cloth that draped both girls underneath it. Once covered, she retracted it back to its usual size and Rika noticed she had been brought into her inner world. With a snap of her fingers, another copy of her Shikai appeared in Yukianesa's open palm. A second later, Rika almost stumbled from the sudden explosive increase of Yukianesa's reiatsu. She stared in awe as she was enshrouded in the white aura of her reiatsu.

"Surprised? This is Overflow when properly controlled. You have merely been utilizing nothing more than its rudimentary purpose. Mastering the Overflow is my lesson to you," Yukianesa told her. Her red eyes almost appeared like they were glowing menacingly, and the sly mischievous smile on her face only served to make her look more malicious. "I'd be careful if I were you, Master. Bringing this technique under your control will not be as easy as you believe it might be."

"I never even thought of that!" Rika declared, her eyes shining with resolve just as strong as Ichigo's.

"Is that so...? Can you bring out your reiatsu?" Yukianesa asked.

"Naturally!" Rika flared her reiatsu.

"Can you bring out your element?"

"Of course!" The Zanpakutou in Rika's hand began to emit frosty mist.

"How about now?" Yukianesa snapped her fingers and Rika's Shikai automatically sealed itself. Try as Rika might, she just could not channel her element without Shikai. "I told you. It won't be easy. And this is just the first step out of three required to master Overflow."

"This won't stop me! I'll earn your approval even if I have to do this for my entire life! I'll make you proud of me, Yukianesa! I promise that!"

"You've always had my respect, Master. And now you've earned even more of it. However, as much as I do respect you, it won't help you in this task. Show me you have the power to wield me. Show me you can take hold of my power. Assure me that I can grant my techniques to you with confidence."

"Watch me!"

Yukianesa watched closely as she turned off her Overflow. It was a slow progress, but wisps of the ice element would appear from Rika's blade every now and then. Rika was visibly spent after an hour at this non-stop but she still persevered. At two hours, she was able to emit the icy mist for 20 seconds. Yukianesa had set the mark at thirty seconds. Half an hour later, she was done.

"Well done, Master," Yukianesa praised, giving her an applause. "Now, do you wish to rest, or push on?"

"Isn't the answer obvious? Of course I'll push on!" Rika's determination had not wavered one bit.

"If you insist..." With another snap of her fingers, Rika's Shikai was restored. "Now, for the second step. Channel the element throughout your entire body. This step is actually the easiest despite being the second. Still, it is by no means easy... if you have been slacking." Rika accomplished this step fairly quickly. She had been practicing controlling her ice element and with the first step accomplished, her control over it boosted to new heights. "I see you've been practicing. Good job, Master. Now, the last and naturally hardest step. As a warning, there is a chance that you just might die. Oh, and this is not just to frighten you. I mean it."

"I'm not afraid. I'll take any challenge on," Rika answered firmly.

"Very well. I'll activate the complete Overflow on you. Withstand it for two minutes. That is all you need to do, and that is all it takes to kill you. Are you ready?" Yukianesa asked with utmost seriousness. At her nod, she placed her palm on Rika's abdomen. "This technique expels triple your maximum reiatsu and the full force of my element. As you can tell, it is by no means an easy task. I will set it to expire at exactly two minutes. It has a proper time limit, and it is half of the time when you enter Overflow. The maximum time you can stay in the completed Overflow is 45 seconds. This test is to make sure you can handle that 45 seconds without hampering yourself." Rika nodded in understanding after thinking it through. "Do not let your pride kill you, Master. I will stop it if you tell me to. I will not think any less of you if you do. All I can say is, please don't die."

"Yuki-chan..." Rika's eyes softened as she placed a hand on Yukianesa's head. "I'll survive. Don't worry about me," she whispered as she patted her head lovingly.

"...Don't treat me like a little girl. I'm a Zanpakutou," she retorted weakly. "Three... Two... One..." With a gentle push of reiatsu, the white aura surrounded Rika as Yukianesa backed away. Her body was being forced to produce three times the reiatsu she did not have along with the full force of her ice element blanketing her. Rika felt like she was being frozen from the outside while being burnt from the inside.

At the thirty-second mark, Rika was already shaking violently, trying to withstand the pain and the cold.

45 seconds... Her breathes were turning into mists and the ends of her hair were beginning to frost over.

1 minute... Her lips had turned pale as she hugged herself in a futile attempt to keep warm. Heat could not be produced because she was blanketed by her own element.

1:15 minutes... Her eyes started to glaze over and her breaths were getting softer and lesser.

1:30 minutes... She was stumbling on her feet, trying to stay upright. Her eyelids were drooping, and all she could see was white.

1:45 minutes... She collapsed to the ground, motionless.

2:00 minutes... The test was done. Yukianesa came over to help Rika into the cottage where she could recuperate. When she took her hand, her eyes shot up in shock. Not wanting to believe it, she felt for her pulse. There was none. Panicking, she slammed her ear into her chest to hear a heartbeat. There was none.

Rika was dead. Partial healing would no longer work.

In the real world, the sudden, complete disappearance of Rika's reiatsu shocked Ichigo and the Vizards. Horror descending into his face, he raced to where Rika was training with Yukianesa. He saw Yukianesa hysterically calling for her and shaking her violently. Rika was covered from head to toe with frost, her skin nearly white, and her lips a deep blue.

"Wake up, Master! You promised me you wouldn't die!"

Ichigo's own heart felt like it was gripped by claws of ice.

"What... Rika..." His brain could not form words anymore. The only thing ringing in his head was the word 'die'. His sister had died right under his nose.

**Author's Note: Because of her prior possession, Hollow Ichigo has left a small piece of himself behind in Rika's inner world. According to him, he's harmless, and merely a 'useful ornament' to Rika. His presence is only fleeting at best in her inner world because he can only appear whenever Ichigo uses his powers, meaning his mask. Appearing for only four seconds is really not in his interest, so he chooses to stay hidden most of the time.**

**Rika attempts to learn a powerful technique from Yukianesa. During the training required for her to even withstand the intensity of the technique, she fails. Yukianesa has warned her about the dangers. Despite Rika's reassurance that she will survive, she did not. What will happen to Ichigo and Yukianesa now? How will they cope and deal with this turn of events?**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	47. The Part Timer

"Hey... Hey..." Ichigo tried to call for Yukianesa, but his voice was barely above a whisper as his mind was still reeling from the sight in front of him. "Hey... Hey...!" He slowly managed to regain control of himself as he increased the volume of his voice. "Hey...! Hey!" His shocked and horrified expression morphed into one of extreme anger. "HEY!" He finally snapped as he grabbed Yukianesa and yanked her up by her coat. "What the hell did you do...? WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!" he roared in her face.

"I was training her! What else?" she yelled back, just as distraught as him. "I told her that if she couldn't take it, she can stop and we can continue at a later date! She chose to push on! She promised me she would survive! What kind of Zanpakutou would I be if I didn't believe in my own master?"

"Use your goddamned common sense! You of all people should know what her limit is! You should know to stop when Rika's about to die!"

"Don't tell me how to train my master! I don't see you telling Zangetsu to use his common sense and stop when you're dying! She followed her brother's example! You know how much she looks up to you! The only difference is you passed and she failed! If I'm wrong in my training methods, then so is every other Zanpakutou out there!"

Ichigo needed to vent his anger badly. Despair was steadily trickling in as he laid his eyes on his sister. He thought of anything he could think of in his current state of mind to bring his sister back to the living.

"Inoue! Inoue could... No... She's not here..." The fact that Inoue had gone to Soul Society hit him hard. It was only now that he truly understood why Rika insisted so strongly that Inoue stay and train in Karakura Town instead. Out of the entire group stationed in the Living World, only Urahara and Rika knew how special Inoue's ability was. While he did not know exactly how special, he did know one thing: Inoue's healing was a lot more efficient than the Shinigami's healing kidou. She was their resident healing specialist, and if she had stayed, any injuries could be easily taken care of. Everyone who supported her decision to train in Soul Society, even Inoue herself at the time she made that decision, had either completely missed or ignored that point. Urahara and Yoruichi were capable of healing, but they were not specialists at it. The injured still needed to recuperate even after healing. Inoue's healing did not require the recuperation. The two ex-Shinigamis were better off being last-line defenders than backup healers.

They were naive. Urahara's way of telling them that Inoue was unsuitable to be on the front lines was harsher than Rika's, but they should have known better than to let their emotions kick aside their rationality. They should have thought harder about Inoue's position in their group. They could have avoided a tragedy just like the one Ichigo was currently facing.

"What happened here?" Shinji exclaimed as the Vizards came to check on the sudden disappearance of reiatsu.

"Hirako! Help her! Rika, she... Help her!" Ichigo shoved Yukianesa away as he pleaded with Shinji with extremely desperate eyes. All of them could easily see that he was pleading for them to do something to save his sister.

"Calm down, Ichigo! What happened to Rika-chan?" Shinji tried to get the brother to slow down.

"How can I calm down? Rika died right in front of me! Please, help her, Hirako!" Ichigo yelled hysterically.

"Hachi!" Shinji called for Hachigen.

"Yes!" he understood the urgency and conjured a healing barrier over Rika. As everyone watched, hope rose in them as her features started improving. Her skin was looking healthier and the frost was quickly melting away. Only Hachigen did not look happy. He could tell his healing had hit the limit. That was the best he could do for her. "...I'm sorry, Ichigo-kun," he offered his condolences as he shook his head sadly and dispelled the barrier. His barriers had similar properties to Inoue's Shun Shun Rikka, but that did not mean the healing was at the same standard.

"What...?" Ichigo had heard that sentence plenty of times, and it was never good. He heard that in hospitals, in medical dramas, and even his own family clinic. "Don't screw around with me! You're giving up just like that? It's only been three minutes!" he roared at Hachigen.

"I'm really sorry, but I can only reverse the damage done. I can't bring back her life," Hachigen sounded really disappointed as well.

As Ichigo lost his only chance at reviving Rika, he fell to his knees as he screamed in despair. The Vizards stared with varying degrees of pity and condolence. Meanwhile, Yukianesa was rapidly losing her reiatsu as well as her connection to Rika. It would not be long before the connection would be completely severed. Wiping away the tears building up in her eyelids, she tried to think of anything that could help Rika before her own reiatsu ran out. If she returned to the inner world now, she would die in an instant.

"God damn it! Here I am trying to get stronger, and I couldn't even prevent my own sister from dying right in front of me!" Ichigo punched the ground repeatedly in grief.

"Stronger...?" That sparked an idea in Yukianesa's head. "Hey you! Mr. Idiot! Get your mask out! Hurry!"

"What...?" Ichigo was trying hard to prevent his tears from spilling, but they were there in his eyes.

"Don't 'What' me! Just do it!" she yelled. If her idea did not pull through, both Rika and her would be gone for good. Yukianesa could survive without Rika by continually feeding on reiatsu of others. It would sustain her for as long as she did so, but she would rather die than live without Rika. Schooling his overwhelming emotions as best as he could, Ichigo summoned his mask. "Hold it as long as you can!" she ordered as she rummaged through Rika's shihakushou.

Quickly finding the Hollow mask, she brought it out in full view of everyone and ignored their shocked gasps. She prayed as she placed the mask on Rika's face, hoping that Hollow Ichigo would be able to do something to revive Rika. The moment she did, a white-colored reiatsu trimmed with bright red that felt like a mix between Rika's reiatsu and Hollow Ichigo's reiatsu blasted out in waves from her body. Just when it looked like it was working, Ichigo's own mask collapsed and the reiatsu disappeared.

"You fool! I told you to hold it!" Yukianesa screamed at Ichigo. "Bring it out again! Hurry!" He obeyed her commands without complaint and quickly gathered his reiatsu for his mask again. Once it was on his face again, the mixed reiatsu reappeared. This time, before Ichigo's mask shattered, the reiatsu died down by itself. Nothing happened until his mask broke again. "N-No way..." Yukianesa collapsed to her knees this time, letting her tears fall freely. "MASTER!"

Almost like she was called from the dead, Rika shot up into a sitting position gasping for breath like she had been holding in it for a very long time. Everyone noticed she had the same gold-black eyes that Ichigo took when he wore his mask.

**"I... I..." **Rika spoke with the echoed voice that Hollow Ichigo had when he possessed her body. **"My voice...! This is..." **Rika felt a weight in front of her face and touched it. **"Nii-san's mask! How did it...?" **She was wearing her borrowed Hollow mask and somehow felt like she had a lot more reiatsu than she normally would have.

"I knew it! I knew it! Master!" Yukianesa threw herself into Rika's arms as she hugged her endearingly. "I thought I lost you, Master! You big idiot! I told you you could die! I told you you could stop! You died, you incompetent Shinigami! Don't you have any brains?" she wept, burying her face into her shihakushou.

**"Yukianesa..." **Rika whispered as she patted her back soothingly as she let her spirit cry.

"Rika!" Ichigo cried out in extreme relief, drying his tears with a single wipe of his sleeve. "Hey, how did you figure out how to revive her?" he asked Yukianesa.

"...I'll let Master explain later..." she mumbled as she made a quick retreat into Rika's inner world to recover her lost reiatsu. It had dropped to near-critical levels. It was fortunate that her gamble struck jackpot. Both Rika and her were still alive and well, although they had a lot of explaining to do.

**"Um... How do you take off the mask?" **Rika asked. She felt so energetic to the point she actually felt unnerved by her own energy. Shinji told her that she had to detach the Hollow reiatsu from her Shinigami reiatsu to safely remove the mask. Otherwise, it would hurt like hell. It was like tearing the skin off the entire face. Breaking the mask would also work, but it had to be done by someone else. They could not break it on their own once they conquered their inner Hollow. Shinji said he had personal experience with trying to break his own mask and failed spectacularly. He was trying out a technique and it blew up on him. He ended up scorching himself from head to toe, but his mask remained in pristine condition.

Rika was understandably surprised when she managed to detach the two reiatsus flowing through her with just a thought. Slowly, she tried to make her mask disappear and dissolve into reiatsu but could not do it. However, she was able to pluck it off her face like it was a regular mask. Once off, her eyes returned to normal and all traces of Hollow reiatsu vanished without a trace. The Vizards had questions as to why Rika was able to hollowfy without once turning into a Hollow of her own, but otherwise had no issues about it. Ichigo, however, was clearly unhappy.

"Rika, give me the mask," he ordered, holding out his hand to 'reclaim' his mask.

"Sorry, nii-san, I won't. This is my lucky charm," Rika refused, quickly tucking away her 'rightful' belonging.

"This isn't the time for this. I don't want you getting possessed by him again!"

"He won't. He promised me he couldn't."

"Are you sure he's not lying to you?"

"Nii-san, we promised to drop this subject. Let me handle this, alright?"

"...Fine." Ichigo remembered the promise they made and backed off.

"Welcome to the family of Vizards! Congratulations, Rika-chan!" Shinji cheered only to be silenced by a slipper to the face.

"As if she's one of us! She didn't go through anything! That was probably just a stupid fluke!" Hiyori argued. The others agreed with her on some degree. Shinji was their de-facto leader and was usually right in any theory he came up with, but they agreed that something was wrong with the way Rika managed to use a Hollow mask that belonged to her brother.

"Why not put her through an endurance test? Things shouldn't get that out of hand, right?" Love suggested.

"An excellent idea," Rose agreed.

"I'll handle this one," Lisa stepped on to the plate. Everyone cleared the area to give the two girls some fighting space. "Alright, call out your mask, Rika."

For some reason, Rika just had the feeling that trying to materialize it was useless. For one, she knew she was not 'halfway there' like Ichigo had been during the Shattered Shaft. Second, she was sure she had not been infected by anything that could cause her to develop an inner Hollow. And third, the mask was still inside her shihakushou. She hesitantly took out the mask and placed it over her face. And just as easily as she had removed it, it snapped into place just as easily and she felt the Hollow reiatsu flow through her body.

"Let's start," Lisa declared and summoned her own mask to start the training. Rika was noticeably extremely sloppy as she often swung wildly and made awkward, careless movements and was rewarded with a kick each time. **"Fighting with the mask on is not the same as fighting without it. The feeling is odd for first-timers, and the only way to get over it is to get used to it. Nothing else," **Lisa explained sharply. Rika turned to Ichigo for confirmation, and he nodded. He had felt that oddity for himself, and had to quickly get used to it to avoid getting pummeled too much by Hiyori. He was not completely used to it, though. Hiyori was complaining that he was still too slow to get moving after calling out his mask.

"Two minutes and still going. Impressive," Love whistled as he looked at the watch. He honestly had not expected her to last that long. Shinji remained silent as he looked on with a serious expression on his face. He was expecting something to go wrong. He had reasonable suspicions to believe that. He glanced at Ichigo, and saw that he too was suspecting something amiss.

When the timer hit three and a half minutes, the mixed reiatsu all Vizards emitted when wearing their masks vanished from Rika. It just disappeared without any sort of indication. Everyone paused to stare at Rika. The Hollow eyes of her brother was gone from her eyes, but the mask still remained attached to her face. Not knowing what to do, Rika simply took the mask off her face and stared at it.

"I guess... time's up?" she broke the silence in an awkward manner.

_"Master, I've got some information from Mr. Hollow here. He materialized when you used his mask," _Yukianesa spoke up from inside her inner world.

"What do you have?" she whispered.

_"Apparently, when he said he was just a useful ornament for your soul, he really meant it. The mask you have can be used just like the Vizards do. He did say your situation is quite different, though."_

"Eh? What do you mean?"

_"He told me that the length of time your brother, and most likely the Vizards, can keep the mask on relies solely on their control over their Hollow reiatsu. The better the control, the longer it lasts. Your brother's control over his Hollow reiatsu is extremely poor, that's why he could only hold it for a few measly seconds. Mr. Hollow has also dubbed you a 'part-time Vizard'. That's because the mask you have functions more like a battery than anything else. You have just used up all the reiatsu your mask has gathered and is now empty. According to him, you can recharge it by being close to your brother when he is in Bankai since he does use a small amount of Hollow reiatsu during its usage. It also recharges when he's using the mask. He mentions that since your reiatsu is less potent than your brother's, and thus his as well, he estimates that at full charge, you would probably last about five minutes as a Vizard. And obviously, it doesn't charge if you're using it."_

"I think... I can understand that. But what about my revival?"

_"I remembered that Mr. Hollow had high-speed regeneration. So I told your brother to summon his mask before putting your own mask over your face. I was hoping for something like your prior possession to take place. He never told me how he did it, but the high-speed regeneration managed to get your heart pumping again. It was fortunate that you were clinically dead for only a few minutes and your heart was undamaged."_

"Oh, I get it now!"

_"If you get it, go tell the others. It's best you don't mention Mr. Hollow living inside you. It will only cause unnecessary panic. Just say I managed to get in contact with him." _With that, Yukianesa cut off the link. Rika proceeded to explain to everyone what she had been told by Yukianesa. Some were skeptical, and some were downright unbelieving. Ichigo was one of the skeptics, but he chose to put his full faith in his sister. And just this once, he was indeed grateful to his Hollow and Yukianesa.

It would be a month before the next Arrancar invasion would occur, and everyone was training extremely hard so they could survive, and most of all, win against them. During that month, Sado's armored arm had taken on a completely different form, Ishida regained his Quincy powers, Inoue was more proficient with her Shun Shun Rikka, Ichigo gained the powers of his Hollow and managed to up his mask time to ten seconds, and Rika managed to overcome her oddity of wearing a Hollow mask and even learned a new technique with guidance from Hollow Ichigo despite with his sporadic appearances. Yukianesa was very unhappy with that development, since she felt that new technique violated her validity as a Zanpakutou. At least it was not exactly the same. She was appeased when Rika managed to master the Overflow through torturous moments of withstanding the completed state. It had an official name, but only when Overflow was completely activated.

Finally, the dreaded invasion happened. This time, the invading party consisted of four Arrancars: two known and two unknown. The ones known were Yammy and Grimmjow. Grimmjow wanted no part in doing his assigned mission. He just had a bone to pick with two certain Shinigami siblings and left on his own. They let him go without much protest, as the Shinigami assigned to protect Karakura Town were already there to greet them.

**Author's Note: Yukianesa finds a way to revive Rika with help from Hollow Ichigo. As a result, Rika gains access to Hollow Ichigo's reiatsu via the mask she had picked up long ago. This in turn, makes her a Vizard... sort of. Here's a description:**

**Vizard Mode**

**Description: Rika is able to use her Hollow mask just like Ichigo uses it. However, while Ichigo has to summon it out, Rika already has the physical manifestation which does not disappear and merely needs to place it on her face. Rather than needing to maintain it like the other Vizards, her mask functions like a battery with a maximum lifespan of five minutes. The Hollow reiatsu within can be recharged by being near Ichigo while he's either in Bankai or wearing his mask. It does not recharge if it is in usage.**

**While wearing the mask, Rika's reiatsu changes from white with a very faint blue outline to white with a bright red outline. Her reiatsu is vastly increased and changes to a mix of Shinigami and Hollow reiatsu. Her strength and speed also increases.**

**During the one month break, Rika masters her Overflow and gets used to the feeling of wearing a Hollow mask and learns a new technique. The technique and the official name of Overflow will be introduced in the next chapter. As a note, there are certain advantages and disadvantages for having a battery-like Hollow mask. However, those will be addressed in a further future chapter.**

**It's never clearly explained how Vizards maintain their masks other than training, so I made up my own description on how they maintain it. And since there has never been a scene where a Hollow mask is forcefully ripped off a Vizard's face, only broken, I made up what would happen if such an incident occurs.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	48. Forced Exit, Forced Entry

"Let go!" Ichigo shouted as he struggled to break free from Kensei's and Love's grip. The Arrancars were here, and he was not going to just sit back and train when he could be lending a fighting hand.

"It's still too early!" Kensei told him.

"Your pals from Soul Society came to take care of situations like this, right?" Love tried to reason with him. "Let them deal with it!"

"And I've been training to help them! There's no point if I don't go, too!" Ichigo snapped.

"Your training isn't done! If you really wanna help, let your sister go! She's the one who has completed her training!" Kensei argued. It was true, because like Mashiro, Rika had no need to learn how to maintain her Hollow mask. That was the most important part of the endurance training. It remained fixed at a maximum time limit of five minutes no matter what she did. That time would only shorten if she went below 100% reiatsu with Shikai active. Yukianesa was able to draw the reiatsu from the Hollow mask to make up for that lost amount. It made her Shikai's drawbacks less dangerous, but she warned Rika not to rely too much on that lifeline. The time limit would be shorter if the mask was not completely charged with Ichigo's Hollow reiatsu. Despite endless prodding from both her and Yukianesa, Hollow Ichigo refused to tell her when it was full.

Rika was about to agree with Kensei when Shinji allowed them both to go. He had a serious look on his face and that always meant business. He was thinking about something deeply and not fooling around like he usually did. Kensei demanded an answer as to what he was thinking but he refused to give one and simply walked away.

The Kurosaki siblings flew through the air in the direction of the Arrancars when Rika warned that one of them was up ahead, and it was the one they lost terribly against: Grimmjow. Sure enough, he was already there waiting for them, except he was missing an arm and had a large scar across his chest.

"Hey! I've been looking for you, Shinigami," he said.

"Same here," Ichigo replied, the cloth wrapping Zangetsu slowly pulling away. "We'll show you how much we've changed in the last month." Grimmjow narrowed his eyes slightly at the claim. He could feel the air of confidence around Ichigo while his sister projected the same cautiousness when they first met. Her more confident posture told him she had indeed improved since last month. "Bankai!" Ichigo wasted no time and went straight into the final release.

Rika noted that her brother no longer unleashed the bright blue reiatsu that was associated with his Bankai release ever since he conquered his inner Hollow. Instead, it was now the black-red reiatsu that originally belonged to Hollow Ichigo. It was only then she understood why Yukianesa said her Hollow mask would recharge when around him while he used Bankai. There were minute traces of Hollow reiatsu being emitted, but it was almost unnoticeable. Since Bankai was a Shinigami's technique, his Shinigami reiatsu drowned out those minute traces. It was only because she was intimately familiar with his reiatsu on an instinctive level that she could sense those traces. Heck, she even had a 'borrowed supply' of that Hollow reiatsu.

"Bankai again?" Grimmjow was unimpressed. It appeared Ichigo had not changed at all.

"So what?" Ichigo asked.

"Did you forget how your little Bankai couldn't do shit to me?"

"What about you? You forget how my Bankai's attack gave you that scar?" Ichigo eyed the burn scar on Grimmjow's chest and was surprised to see stitches in the middle of the scar.

"That's not yours, Shinigami. Those were from your sister. That scar you gave me doesn't even compare," Grimmjow told him, knowing he saw the stitches.

"One thing, Grimmjow. What happened to your arm?"

"I cut it off," he lied straight to their faces. "I don't need both arms to kick both your asses."

"Oh, yeah?" Ichigo gripped Tensa Zangetsu harder. "Then I guess I don't have to hold back."

"Damn right. Unless you wanna die!" Grimmjow smirked in a feral manner as his reiatsu glowed around him. Ichigo positioned his hand over his face as he too made a reiatsu aura.

_'I can only hold the Hollowfication for about eleven seconds,' _he thought, having gained an extra second earlier that morning. _'I've gotta finish him before it runs out!'_ The siblings had agreed earlier on that Ichigo should fight first and Rika could charge her mask if it was not full. So far, they had no way to gauge just how much reiatsu it had gathered and thought it was best to play it safe. That, and Ichigo wanted first dibs on Grimmjow. He wanted to return the utter trashing he received when he first faced the Arrancar. As he gathered his Hollow reiatsu, Rika backed away, allowing him the space to fight. When he was done, a thick wave of black-red reiatsu exploded outwards, blanketing Ichigo and preventing Grimmjow from seeing what was happening. When the reiatsu dissipated and he could see again, he was shocked to see a Hollow mask on Ichigo's face.

"W-What did you do?" Grimmjow asked.

**"Sorry. No time to explain," **Ichigo spoke in an echoed voice of his own. Rika thought he would sound similar to Hollow Ichigo, but she was wrong. He had a much higher pitch than Ichigo. With a burst of Shunpo that only Grimmjow could follow, he drew his Zanpakutou to block the frontal attack packed with reiatsu. When the blades connected, the reiatsu from Ichigo's attack flared, showing just how strong it was. When he managed to push Grimmjow's Zanpakutou an inch lower, he made his move. **"Getsuga Tenshou." **Both fighters were then enveloped inside the blast of the black Getsuga. When it cleared, smoke was trailing off Grimmjow and he was bleeding heavily from the chest and forehead.

"That... power..." he breathed heavily. "It's not a Shinigami's..." The attack was the same, but he could feel how different it was. "You little shit... What the hell did you do to yourself?" His answer was another Getsuga Tenshou. He raised his sword to block it but was still pushed back by its power.

**"I told you, I don't have time to explain," **Ichigo's voice actually came from behind him. Looking back to see him there, Ichigo fired off another Getsuga Tenshou, catching him in between both blasts. Grimmjow plummeted out of the sky and Ichigo pursued him. During his descend, Grimmjow was still able to form a Cero in his hand despite being nearly out of it.

"Son of a bitch!" he cursed as he fired it upwards at Ichigo.

**"Cero!" **Ichigo was forced to stop and defend himself. The force of the blast was strong to enough to push Ichigo back, taking him some time to gather the strength to split it in two and avoid damage. By that time, Grimmjow was already gone from Ichigo's sight. He managed to sense him approaching from behind and blocked his attack successfully. Grimmjow went on the offensive but all his attacks were blocked with relative ease.

**"You're finished, Grimmjow," **Ichigo stated, parrying a strike that left Grimmjow extremely wide open for a killing blow. At that moment, time turned its back on Ichigo. His eleven seconds were up, and cracks formed on his mask before it busted into pieces. Both men were stunned momentarily as the pieces evaporated away. _'My mask...' _Ichigo could not believe it. He was so close! Grimmjow smirked widely as the sudden turn of tides.

_"You're _finished, Shinigami!" he declared as he took advantage of the situation and got in a slash across Ichigo's chest, sending him plummeting to the street below.

_'My... mask!' _Ichigo was still stuck in a state of disbelief, and the fatigue from having his Hollowfication run out kicked in. He felt the fatigue a lot harder than he had when he was training, and he presumed it was because he was using it during Bankai for the first time.

"Oh no!" Rika started rushing to her brother's rescue. **"Play, Yukianesa!" **She released her Zanpakutou and rushed towards the descending pair.

"Whatever that power was, I guess you overused it, huh?" Grimmjow mocked as he flew beside the panting Ichigo. "You started breathing heavy the second your mask shattered. It's over, Shinigami. You got good shots in, but in the end, you were no match for me!" With a huge release of reiatsu, the powered strike sent Ichigo tumbling harshly down the street just like the previous time they fought.

Grimmjow waited for him to pick himself up, turning back to glance at the approaching Shinigami that was the next to be pummeled into the ground. She was still quite a distance away and merely a speck but he could see her clearly. He returned his gaze back to Ichigo as he attempted to summon his mask again. When he failed, a cruel smirk appeared on his face as he did a spin-powered kick to his mid-section, sending him crashing further down the road.

"Looks like you can't pull out that mask again once it breaks! Or maybe not, if you're still taking the stance you used to bring it out the first time," Grimmjow theorized as he caught up with Ichigo with a quick burst of Sonido. "But, whether you've taken too much damage, or used up too much reiryoku, or if there's some sort of time limit, I don't know why, but you can't bring out that mask anymore!" With another Sonido, he slammed his Zanpakutou into the concrete road and right through both of Ichigo's arms. Ichigo was effectively pinned in place with nowhere to escape, let alone move. He looked up to see Grimmjow charging a Cero in his hand. "Don't worry. This will be a point-blank Cero. I'll destroy that head of yours and its stupid mask!" Before he could release it, an icicle smashed into his arm, making it sting so badly his concentration vanished alongside his Cero as he bit down the pain.

"Your opponent is me now, Grimmjow," Rika stood on top of a nearby house as she stared hard at Grimmjow.

"Rika!" Ichigo was never more glad to see his sister.

"I was really hoping nii-san would be able to take you out, but it looks like time was not on his side today," she stated, not flinching as Grimmjow glared back at her.

"You think you can do any better, woman?" he challenged.

"Perhaps."

"That so?"

"There's no question nii-san is more powerful than me. That doesn't mean I can't defeat you just because I'm weaker than him."

"Let's see what you got, then!" Grimmjow reached over and easily pulled his Zanpakutou free, ignoring Ichigo's pained gasp as blood flowed from his open wound. "Just because you've gotten in one month of training doesn't change the fact I'm going to kill you!" Rika jumped skywards to safety as he slammed his sword down on the roof, destroying a huge portion of it. He quickly pursued her and engaged her in a zanjutsu clash. He remembered how good she was when she was pressed to defend and was careful with how much power he put into his strikes.

One month ago, Rika could not keep up when he had switched from powerful hits to speedy ones. Now, she was able to handle both. However, being on the defensive was not her goal this time. Now, she would be the one on the offensive. Breaking away from a deadlock and getting some distance as well as some leeched reiatsu, she prepared to make the first step as a fighter. It was time for her to 'attack'. Like Shinji had mentioned when correcting her flawed sense of fighting, it was time she embraced the proper meaning of the term.

"Still fighting chicken, huh? I'll destroy that guard of yours!" Grimmjow yelled, moving in for a powerful strike.

"Sorry. There won't be any guarding from me today," Rika replied as she took out the Hollow mask from her shihakushou. Grimmjow was surprised to saw the same accursed mask again. Once she put it on, he could feel the changes and the boost her reiatsu went through. With a charge of her own, she actually overpowered him and pushed him back. She did not stop there, chasing him down with more powerful attacks. Grimmjow tried making some distance with his speed but with the aid of her Hollow mask, she was easily able to catch up to him and rain blows down on him. Now he was the one stuck on the defensive as he desperately blocked her attacks.

"Damn it! That mask again! What the hell did you two do to yourselves?" he demanded as he stared straight into the same gold-black eyes that had been on Ichigo earlier.

**"Overcoming ourselves," **Rika answered. It was a truthful response but at the same time answered nothing. She pressed her attack and engaged in a deadlock. At reiatsu sparked between the two blades, she shoved him away harshly, giving her the opportunity to try out her new technique in a real combat situation as well as entering the initial Overflow. Ichigo widened his eyes when he felt her reiatsu flow into her Zanpakutou in a manner he knew all too well. **"Brace yourself, Grimmjow. You may just not see it coming," **she warned as she activated the true potential of the Overflow. **"Fubuki no Koromo."** Her reiatsu tripled in its intensity in an instant as it exploded outwards to wrap around her body. At that moment, her reiatsu actually exceeded Ichigo's own. Her white-blue reiatsu covered her like a full-body veil, the white just a tinge reddish due to the Hollow reiatsu. She twirled around in mid-air sideways to increase the momentum of her following attack. Slashing mightily with the added momentum, she called the name of her technique. **"Hyougetsu Kuushou!"**

Grimmjow watched as a crescent-shaped energy blast was fired out from the entire length of her Zanpakutou. It was easily just as big as he was tall, but that was not the problem. When his brain registered the attack heading his way, it was already right in front of his face threatening to split him in two. Only his instincts saved him as he raised his blade to block the energy slash. Just the mere speed of it was enough to send him crashing into the ground with a sizable crater. Although it exploded into an ice-based explosion, he was safe from the full damage of the technique. With white smoke billowing around him, he decided to use it as cover to charge and fire a Cero at Rika.

When the frosty mist dispersed just enough for him to catch a glimpse of his target, a second shot was already halfway between them. Knowing he could not dodge it from his footing and clearly unable to charge his Cero to an appropriate power, he had no choice but to shoot a prematurely formed Cero to detonate the crescent slash. By the time he fired though, it was only two feet away from him. He was not spared from the icy explosion.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Grimmjow cursed as he held himself up with his one arm. He was cut and bleeding all over his body, his jacket shredded earlier on from the tussle with Ichigo. Various parts of his body that had not escaped the explosion were frozen. Rika floated down to the ground in between him and Ichigo to prevent any sneak attacks. Her veil was gone, but her mask was still on her face.

**"You tried to use the mist as a cover for a Cero, didn't you? I was right to focus my senses on you as soon as you crashed," **she told him. She knew about the resulting mist that followed and used her spiritual senses to make up for when the enemy was out of sight. Utterly frustrated at being kicked around, Grimmjow let loose an angry howl as his reiatsu rapidly built up. He charged towards them, Zanpakutou by his side and the blade glowing a bright blue.

**"Grind..." **Whatever he was doing was stopped when a hand prevented him. All were surprised by the interjection from an unlikely person. "Ulquiorra..."

"My mission is completed," Ulquiorra informed him as his eyes rose just barely to regard Rika who quickly tore the mask from her face and hid it. All he saw was her stuffing something into her shihakushou. "It appears you have failed in your objective to eliminate your target. Aizen-sama will not be pleased to hear Kurosaki Rika has not been eliminated." Grimmjow only spat some blood in his mouth to the side in response. "You have taken too long. The Shinigamis have taken the advantage. We're going back." With that said, a beam of Negacion fell on them, assuring them safe passage to Hueco Mundo. As they rose into the sky, he glanced down and used his Pesquisa to inspect the Kurosaki siblings. _'Kurosaki Ichigo still has some reiatsu left, and Kurosaki Rika has claimed some of his reiatsu for her own. It appears they have some sort of new power. But that is Kurosaki Ichigo's limit. The sister has not yet obtained Bankai. Her limit is still far from reached. Nonetheless, it's over. Your luck has run out. The sun has already set into the palms of our hands.'_

When they left, Shinji and Rukia caught up with the siblings. Shinji was glad he did not have to interfere and Rukia was questioning the siblings' huge amounts of power just moments ago. Both of them remained silent, not wanting to answer her right now. Ichigo needed patching up and Shinji made an exception to let Rukia follow, recognizing her as the Shinigami that came to pick up Inoue a month ago.

At the hideout, Rukia was told very firmly not to enter the building or else. Deciding it was best not to antagonize the people who were helping Ichigo, she obeyed that instruction without protest. About fifteen minutes later, Rika was walking out alone with a heavily bandaged Ichigo in her arms. It looked extremely weird for a smaller person to carry a bigger one in their arms, but they were in Shinigami form. She would not be able to do so easily in her human body.

"What did they say?" Rukia asked.

"This was the best they could do for nii-san," Rika replied. "According to the one who healed nii-san, his ability is a type of time-reversal than actual healing. In order for him to use the technique correctly, he had to know precisely what to reverse. Right now, nii-san's reiatsu and the reiatsu from the Arrancar's attacks have melded together in his wounds. This was the best he could do. To get through this as fast as possible, it's important for him to be separated from people like the ones inside who have a similar reiatsu type as Hollows. They advised me to take him home and let him rest. It's the best thing for nii-san right now."

"Right. I understand," she nodded, and both returned to the Kurosaki household. Back home, Rika consistently refused to answer any of Rukia's questions of who the Vizards were and what power both siblings were trying to obtain. The most she got out of her was that she had promised those people to keep their identities secret. As for their new powers, she remained tight-lipped and told her to ask Ichigo when he woke up. Rukia pointed out that she was evading the question. Rika agreed to that but remained firm on her refusal, only revealing that her new power stemmed from her brother. If she wanted information, she would have to get it from him, not her.

Later that night, Rukia decided to leave to check out Inoue's house. Yuzu and Karin were worried for their injured brother and had their dinner inside their elder siblings' room. They eventually decided to sleep over as well, bringing their pillows and blankets as well. To make them feel more comfortable, Rika decided to sleep on the floor with them as well.

Rika was startled awake from her sleep when she felt Inoue's reiatsu coming from inside their room. How did she get inside? It was clear that she was healing Ichigo's injuries and not wanting to disturb her, Rika subtly turned over to face the other side so she could see better. She was shocked when all she could see was the oval barrier of the Souten Kisshun and Inoue nowhere in sight. Did she hear that Ichigo was hurt and sent the two fairies in charge of the Souten Kisshun to heal him while she stayed home? She did the same for Sado when his arm nearly got dismembered. That theory was dissolved when after the healing was done, the fairies seemingly returned back to their hairpin form and abruptly disappeared from all of Rika's senses. They completely vanished from sight, hearing and spiritual sensing. The only thing she could sense was the residue of her reiatsu swirling around Ichigo. Something was very wrong now. Why was Inoue completely undetectable to someone with Shinigami powers? Rika could not make any sense of it, but figured it was best to ask Toushirou for advice tomorrow. He was a Shinigami captain, and would likely know something about it. Pushing it to the back of her mind, she soon drifted off to sleep again.

The twin sisters woke up early the next morning to clear away their things, waking up Rika at the same time. Ichigo was still asleep and all three decided it was best not to disturb him. When he did awake, it was because he fell off his bed and hit his head on the floor. He was quick to find out that he was entirely free from any sort of pain. He deduced that it was Inoue from the reiatsu her technique left behind. Rika had just entered the room fresh from a bath when they were paid a visit from Toushirou.

"Come with me now, Kurosaki. This is urgent," his message was quick and curt. Both siblings quickly got into their Shinigami forms and hastily followed the captain to Inoue's house. When they arrived, they saw a huge static screen made out of gooey alien-looking materials on the wall and all the Shinigamis stationed in Karakura Town in the room. Toushirou ignored Ichigo's questions of why they were gathered there and where Inoue was. Toushirou ordered the connection and the static on the screen cleared to show Ukitake in Soul Society on the other side.

"Ukitake? Where's the Captain-Commander?" Toushirou asked.

"I'm here instead," Ukitake replied.

"Why?"

"Because I was the last person to see Inoue Orihime before she went through the Senkaimon," he said with remorse, seeing the shocked looks on their faces. "Judging from your reactions, it's safe to say she never made it there."

"What do you mean, Ukitake-san?" Ichigo took the lead in demanding an explanation. "Where did Inoue go? You know something, right?"

"I'll give you my opinion. The two guards I sent with her through the Senkaimon came back alive. According to the two of them, Inoue Orihime was either kidnapped or murdered by an Arrancar."

"Murdered?" Ichigo's face was full of disbelief, and so was Rika's. They both knew that Inoue had paid him a visit last night, so how could it be?

"Ukitake-taichou, even if it is a hypothesis, saying something like that...!" Even Rukia was appalled by her captain's opinion.

"I know. I don't like saying this, either. I'm just listing the worst case scenarios. According to our information, she was attacked by an Arrancar, and then disappeared along with him."

"Don't screw around! This is just wrong!" Ichigo shouted in denial. "You're saying she's dead, without any real proof, just because she vanished? Don't give me that shit!" He raised his supposedly injured arm, showing Ukitake how perfectly healed it was. "Look at this. My hand was seriously injured in that fight yesterday! It was something no-one here could heal! But when I woke up this morning, there wasn't even a scar! And I can still feel Inoue's reiatsu!" Ukitake's eyes widened at that news. "You still think Inoue's dead?"

"Is this true, Rika-kun?" Ukitake decided to ask for a second confirmation from Rika.

"Inoue-senpai did heal nii-san's injuries last night, but there was an oddity I was hoping someone could answer. I was awake when she was healing nii-san, but the problem was I could not sense any trace of her, even though her technique was shining brightly right in front of me. I couldn't see, hear, nor sense her even though her technique was right there," Rika explained what she witnessed. "Is there anything that allows a human to hide their entire being from a Shinigami's senses?"

"You could not see, hear or sense Inoue Orihime even though you witnessed her technique being cast?" Ukitake looked a bit doubtful of that but a possibility was still a possibility.

"That's right, Ukitake-san."

"As far as I am aware of, there is a kidou that allows an individual to completely hide from a Shinigami. However, that kidou wears off if the one that it is cast on uses any sort of technique or makes an aggressive movement. There has been no such kidou or device that does as you have described."

"Then how-"

"It does not matter regardless of a device or ability that enables that invisibility. All I can say that it is a pity," the Captain-Commander joined the conversation on the Soul Society side.

"A pity?" Ichigo repeated.

"If what you and your sister say is true, then Inoue Orihime is still alive. But at the same time, that means she's a traitor."

"A traitor?"

"If she was kidnapped, then she would not have been able to see you. As such, healing your injuries and then disappearing means that Inoue Orihime joined forces with the Arrancars of her own free will."

"Wait a minute, Yamamoto-san! Didn't you even consider that maybe Inoue-senpai had been coerced to do such a thing?" Rika exclaimed. "She isn't the sort who would just turn her back on her friends like that!"

"Perhaps," he agreed. "But perhaps it is just that: a betrayal. Nothing more."

"You asshole!" Ichigo yelled. Renji stopped him before he went too far and insulted the Captain-Commander, making things worse for Inoue.

"We understand, Yamamoto-soutaichou. I, Lieutenant of the 6th Division and member of Hitsugaya-taichou's advance guard, Abarai Renji, seek permission to go to Hueco Mundo and bring the traitor Inoue Orihime back to our side," Renji came up with his own solution to help Inoue.

"Permission denied." That decision stunned the people that believed Inoue was innocent. "Now that it is clear the Arrancars are preparing for battle, all members of Hitsugaya's advance guard must return immediately to help fortify Soul Society's defenses.

"Are you... telling us to abandon Inoue?" Rukia asked. Unseen to everyone, Rika flinched just from hearing her. Even since hearing that Inoue was possibly kidnapped, her emotional control had been drastically shaken.

To Rika, all this happened because everyone stubbornly refused to listen to Urahara. She would admit that even though she would have disagreed with Urahara's decision to keep Inoue entirely away from the battlefield, she understood why he made such a decision and sided with him. However, she did agree with them that there was no harm to let Inoue train her abilities. She thus came up with her own solution, picking middle ground between Urahara and those that protested against him, believing it was a win-win situation but with less benefits for Inoue in exchange for added security. She told Rukia not to go to Soul Society, and instead train in Karakura Town. She did not know for sure back then, but she did bring up a good point in saying that an Arrancar's Garganta just might be able to access the Dangai and ambush them there. Rukia brushed her off, saying the captains were more than enough to guarantee Inoue's safety. Even she was rebuked, because the protesters, Ichigo being one of them, believed Urahara and her were preventing Inoue from getting stronger. She tried to convince them that Inoue should not get stronger in fighting ability, but instead getting _better_ with her support skills. Even that fell to deaf ears. They believed those two terms were the same thing.

And now look what happened. She ended up being ambushed in the Dangai and then coerced into making her kidnapping look like a betrayal. Rika refused to believe it was a willing betrayal on Inoue's part. She believed that all of this could have been avoided if Inoue had not gone to Soul Society. When she had talked to her about this, she could see that her senior was really thinking about what she said. It was just that she had made a promise to train in Soul Society with Rukia. It was just the innocent desire not to break a promise made. She failed to convince Rukia to stay. She failed to get her brother to see it from her point of view. The Shinigamis probably would have sided with Rukia too. With how tried her emotions were, the blame lied solely on one individual and her pride: Kuchiki Rukia. She honestly bore no hostility to the petite Shinigami. She was an ally, and the one that allowed her and her brother to have the power to protect their family. However, that gratitude was currently left behind and locked in a drawer.

"...afraid I won't be able to obey those orders," she heard Rukia say. She did not why those words pulled on her nerves, but all her emotional controls snapped at that point.

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT FROM YOU!" Rika exploded, shocking everyone in the room as she yanked Rukia by her shihakushou to her toes. Rukia herself was too stunned by the sudden burst of anger and fury from the usually calm and composed girl. "I TOLD YOU THIS MIGHT HAPPEN! I TOLD EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! ALL OF YOU BRUSHED ME ASIDE! LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO INOUE-SENPAI!"

Ichigo was the first to take action, quickly pulling Rika away from Rukia and holding her back. His own anger and frustration paled to her own and he immediately knew that.

"Rika, relax! What's gotten into you!" he shouted at her to calm down as she struggled violently to break free, even holding his ground when she stomped his foot.

"SHUT UP! EVEN MY OWN BROTHER DIDN'T LISTEN TO ME! I DON'T WANT YOU TELLING ME TO RELAX! EVEN THOUGH I SIDED WITH URAHARA-SAN, I STILL TRIED TO HELP INOUE-SENPAI! I TOLD HER TO STAY HERE AND TRAIN!" Rika stopped struggling just enough to jab an accusing finger at Rukia whose eyes were downcast. "I HAD A GOOD REASON! I TOLD EVERYONE HERE WHY I THOUGHT GOING TO SOUL SOCIETY WAS DANGEROUS! SHE GAVE ME A PATHETIC REASON THAT IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH HERE! SHE WOULD IMPROVE FASTER IN SOUL SOCIETY! SHE TOLD ME THE CAPTAINS WOULD KEEP HER SAFE! IN SOUL SOCIETY, SURE! BUT WHAT ABOUT THE DANGAI! SHE TOTALLY IGNORED MY POINT! EVERYONE IGNORED MY POINT, EVEN YOU! THE MOMENT YOU HEARD URAHARA-SAN SAY THAT SHE DOES NOT BELONG ON THE FRONT LINES, ALL YOUR RATIONALITY GOES FLYING INTO OUTER SPACE!"

Nobody really had anything to say. Despite her outburst, she was right. She did tell them why she thought going to Soul Society was dangerous for Inoue, and she did plead to Rukia to do their training here in Karakura Town. While the other Shinigamis had the excuse of 'I didn't make a decision yet', they felt it was pointless to say that now. It was very clear to them her anger was directed at everyone, though most of it was focused on Rukia. They could tell she believed that it all started with her bringing Inoue to Soul Society.

"I get what you're saying, but there's no point blaming Rukia now! Drop it already!" Ichigo held his sister back tighter.

"ENOUGH!" the Captain-Commander slammed his cane down. All of them silenced at the commanding voice, although Rika was still sending a burning glare towards Rukia. "I expected that some of you might say as such and made special arrangements." At that moment, a Senkaimon appeared behind the group in Inoue's house to see Kenpachi and Byakuya in it. Byakuya warned them not to resist, as they were ordered to bring them back by force if necessary.

"I understand," Ichigo stated, still holding on to his sister. "We won't ask Soul Society for any help. But, can you at least tell me how to get into Hueco Mundo? Inoue is my friend. I'll go save her on my own."

"What's with that cocky tone? You supported getting Inoue-senpai kidnapped in the first place," Rika said, her voice full of loathing and mirth. Ichigo wisely chose not to react to that, though he was deeply hurt by her accusation.

"No!" the Captain-Commander refused even that.

"What?"

"We will need your strength in the upcoming battle. I won't allow you to act foolishly on your own and die like a dog. Wait until you receive your orders. That is all." The connection was immediately cut off to prevent any sort of argument. The Shinigamis returned to Soul Society with Rukia muttering a barely audible apology before the Senkaimon closed behind her. When everyone left, Ichigo loosened his grip on Rika, she harshly shoved him away. She was very upset and angry over the entire situation, more so than he had even seen her before. When he put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, she quickly shook him off.

"Get your hands off me," she spat, her fury not dissipated yet. Still, she could not bring herself to get mad at her brother for very long. "Just... Just leave me alone for now." She slowly walked out of the empty house with Ichigo staring after her. His heart ached when he saw the look in her eyes. He had promised he would listen to her and when her opinions really mattered, he ignored them. While he would not blame Rukia for anything as she was only doing what she felt was best, he could understand why Rika was so frustrated.

It was only now that he realized Rika was different than all of them. It was not because of her style of fighting or her Zanpakutou. It was not anything she had that they did not. It was the other way around. Rika did not have a warrior's pride. It was clear she understood their honor, but not their pride. She viewed pride as something unnecessary. She had pride herself but she did not hold it in regard as highly as any of them. She did not believe in doing things to satisfy her pride. She believed that Rukia's pride stopped her from considering her suggestion for Inoue's training, pinning most of the blame on Rukia because of that.

The next day at school, Tatsuki confronted Ichigo on Inoue's disappearance. She claimed that she was always able to somehow sense her presence but now it was totally gone. She even told him that she knew of his existence as a Shinigami, though she did not know the term. She demanded to know where she went. Ichigo was a very poor actor, failing to even make a convincing argument that he honestly did not know where Inoue went. That was the scene Rika found her brother in.

When she got closer, she managed to overhear Tatsuki say that she was a witness to his actions as a Shinigami. She knew full well that he did not want his activities to endanger his friends thus his ignorant acts as horrible as they were.

"This doesn't concern you," she heard him say, which was a truth. A truth that Tatsuki did not want to acknowledge or hear. Before she could punch him for his insolence, her arm was grabbed and stopped just before her knuckles met his cheek.

"Nii-san is right. This doesn't concern you. All you have to do is just wait patiently until she returns," Rika told Tatsuki when she turned to face whoever stopped her from hitting Ichigo. "It's not like you can help even if you know why Inoue-senpai disappeared."

"You too, Rika?" Tatsuki was visibly distressed over the loss of her friend. "Why are you all keeping secrets from me?"

"...That's why they're called secrets. They're not meant to be told. Don't tell me you don't keep any secrets from us yourself."

"Just do what she said. Inoue will come back. Just sit down and wait," Ichigo reiterated his sister.

"What... What am I..." Tatsuki dropped her fist when Rika was convinced she would not attack. "What am I to you, Ichigo? Weren't we pals? Weren't we friends? Don't try to hide things from me!"

"...You need me to repeat what Rika just told you? You can't help even if you know. That's one of the reasons why we're not telling you," Ichigo told her. Tatsuki called them jerks, but the siblings simply walked away. It was a small price to pay to keep her safe.

Later that night, the Kurosaki siblings headed to Urahara's Shop where the owner was expecting them. He knew what they were after and had already prepared beforehand. At the basement, he told Ichigo the same thing he told Rika when she was tasked to guard Inoue. He admitted it was a mistake to try to take her out of the battle. He should have done what Rika had suggested to everyone. To rectify that mistake, he planned on doing everything he could to help. Ichigo asked if he was sure since helping him would be going against Soul Society. He replied it was fine, since that was what got him in Karakura Town in the first place.

Joining the siblings on their journey to Hueco Mundo was Ishida and Sado. Ichigo protested against them joining them as he believed they just were not strong enough. His doubts were erased with a single punch from Sado's new armored arm. Urahara was able to replicate a Garganta perfectly with a kidou-version of the same ability. It would lead to Hueco Mundo but they had to create a path using the spirit particles inside the tunnel. Steeling themselves for the journey, they leaped into the dark tunnel that would lead them to Hueco Mundo, the world of Hollows.

**Author's Note: Ichigo and Rika take on Grimmjow for another rematch. Ichigo goes first against Grimmjow and the fight goes as canon. After getting his arm and hand impaled, Rika takes over rather than Rukia and Shinji. She quickly pushes Grimmjow close to the breaking point but before he can release his Zanpakutou, Ulquiorra stops him, plainly stating that he failed to do his mission which is to eliminate the one Shinigami with a natural advantage against Hollows: Kurosaki Rika.**

**The two new techniques used in her fight against Grimmjow are as follows:**

**Fubuki no Koromo - Blizzard's Shroud**

**Description: The official name for Overflow, but only at its full potential. When activated, Rika's reiatsu triples in an instant and she is covered in a veil of her reiatsu. It unleashes all of Rika's reiatsu plus the 200% absorbed reiatsu in Yukianesa. She is unable to activate this ability at all unless she enters the initial Overflow.**

**Because this technique unleashes the full power of the ice element and triple the reiatsu of Rika's maximum, it only lasts a maximum of 45 seconds, half the time of the initial Overflow. Similar to the initial Overflow, Rika can use her major techniques twice for free, but at three times the normal power. During that time, she temporarily exceeds even Ichigo's reiatsu during Bankai. When time is up, all absorbed reiatsu is gone from Yukianesa compared to the restocked 100% when not activated.**

**Hyougetsu Kuushou - Ice Moon Sky Piercer**

**Description: If Getsuga Tenshou can be compared to a Cero, then this technique can be compared to a Bala, except it only moves four times faster, not twenty. If power is required to pierce the heavens, then speed is required to pierce the sky. Its destructive power is not as high as Getsuga Tenshou, but it is extremely cold to the touch and creates mist if it explodes. It consumes 100% reiatsu from Rika, making it one of her major techniques. This technique can only be performed while Rika is in Vizard Mode.**

**This move is taught by Hollow Ichigo, since he does have the knowledge of using Getsuga Tenshou even if he no longer has access to it. It is also the reason why Yukianesa feels insulted when Rika learns this technique. The reason it is restricted to her Vizard Mode is because Yukianesa does not know how to perform the Getsuga Tenshou, so Rika needs 'guidance' from Hollow Ichigo. Under the effects of Fubuki no Koromo, this technique is slightly weaker than the un-enhanced Bankai Getsuga Tenshou. Without the shroud, it is equal in power to Shikai Getsuga Tenshou. The color of the energy blast is the reverse of Bankai Getsuga Tenshou. The blast itself is white with a very light tinge of red, and the outline is very light blue. It is the same color as Rika's Vizard reiatsu, which is pure white tinged with red and a light blue outline. Her natural reiatsu color is simply without the red.**

**After that battle, Inoue goes to heal Ichigo but Rika witnesses her technique being cast without seeing or hearing her. When the discussion of Inoue's disappearance takes place, she brings up that point but to her dismay, no such kidou or device can replicate Inoue's invisibility act. Only one kidou comes close, but that is only when the one it is cast on does not do anything drastic. Take note that no-one at that time knows about the device that only allows Arrancars to sense her.**

**Rika blows her top after hearing Rukia say that she is unable to follow the Captain-Commander's order. She has tried to convince everyone of the danger of heading to Soul Society and her guess that the Dangai is a perfectly good place for an ambush. The failure to prevent the kidnapping and the complete refusal by everyone around her has pushed her emotions to the limit. She blames Rukia for starting the chain of events that led to the kidnapping.**

**Ichigo figures out that Rika thinks the way she does because she does not understand the pride of a warrior. She started out as an individual with zero fighting experience, forced to be a Shinigami because of exposure to her brother's reiatsu, and then forced to learn how to fight at a high level of standard at a nearly unreasonable short amount of time just to be able to contribute something to Ichigo's team. With all that factors, it is easy to accept that she does not know the meaning of pride as a warrior.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	49. Welcome To Hueco Mundo

"...Nii-san, can I please take the lead now?" Rika's eyebrow was twitching, as the pathway her brother was creating under his feet was utterly and completely horrendous! Not only was it not a straight pathway, it was not even stable! She already lost count how many times her feet sunk into the pathway like soft mud and nearly sent her and Sado into the dark abyss of the Garganta! And if her eyes did not fool her, Ichigo himself stumbled on his own footing!

"I know I suck at delicate operations like this, but I can do it!" Ichigo insisted on remaining in the lead. Rika could only groan as he still believed he was doing fine.

"Ishida-senpai, Sado-senpai, can you please convince nii-san to stop?" she turned to her seniors for support.

"Your sister is right, Kurosaki. At the rate you're going, someone's going to fall. Can't you make a better path?" Ishida agreed with her, Sado grunting his agreement.

"Shove it! I just said I'm bad at stuff like this! And what the hell's with yours? It's not fair that you have one all to yourself!" a tick mark appeared on Ichigo's head as he stopped to yell at Ishida. He indeed had a pathway all to himself and was riding it like a surfboard at the beach.

"I'm just using a variation of Hirenkyaku. This is nothing," he explained easily like it was an everyday thing for him to be making hover boards out of spirit particles.

"Then make one for me."

"Sorry, but with your reiatsu-manipulation skills, you'd never be able to control it."

"What did you say? You make it sound like I don't have any ability at all!"

"Am I wrong? You can't even make a decent pathway, and you refuse to let the only other person able to make a stable one take over."

"I'm gonna kill you!" He tried to take an intimidating step forward only for the pathway he made give way and break under his foot, threatening to send him over the edge.

"All right, I'm off," Ishida was glad to leave the struggling Ichigo behind. As he was about to take off, he was stopped by Sado who questioned him about some kind of deal he made with his father from Urahara. It was a deal not to get involved with any Shinigamis and their allies in exchange for training. He asked why he was here if that was the case. Ichigo asked if that was true, and Ishida admitted it was. As he retold the events that had transpired with him, Rika took the chance to dash past her brother and make a perfectly stable and straight pathway. His attention was fully on Ishida and kept on going without realizing she was in front of him. Sado nodded and gave her a thumbs up when she looked back, and she returned the gesture with a nod of her own.

"Why? Even if Soul Society isn't involved, it doesn't change the fact that I'm a Shinigami!" Ichigo was worried for his friend.

"We're technically substitute Shinigamis, nii-san," Rika mentioned.

"That's right," Ishida agreed. "At least Kurosaki-san catches on quickly."

"San? You mean Rika?"

"Of course. Compared to you, Kurosaki-san is much more polite and humble than you will ever be, Kurosaki."

"You want me to get over there and push you off, Ishida?" A tick mark reappeared on Ichigo's head as he threatened Ishida.

"No thank you. Anyway, you were abandoned by Soul Society. In other words, you aren't a Shinigami and you aren't their friend. So there aren't any constraints on this matter."

"That's pretty weak logic," Ichigo deadpanned.

"It's called a loophole, nii-san," Rika corrected him.

"Like I said, weak logic."

"Does it really matter? You should be glad Ishida-senpai is on our side at all."

"Yeah, yeah. And since when did you get in front of me?"

"Since a while ago. I'm not leaving this to you, nii-san."

"Gee, thanks for that vote of confidence," he said sarcastically. Rika merely shook her head in good humor and focused on creating a suitable pathway for everyone to run on. While her back was turned, Yukianesa materialized behind her. She bent down to tap the pathway with her finger, smiling mischievously at Ichigo before disappearing. He paid it no heed and continued running, only to mysteriously slip forward and smash his face into the pathway. He fell hard enough that a small area where his face landed broke away and he rolled around clutching his face in pain.

"Nii-san?" Rika stopped when she heard his moans. "What happened?"

"That little brat...!" he cursed as he pinched his nose to stop the nosebleed. At her confused look, he blew his top. "Your Zanpakutou, who else!"

"I believe the child that appeared for a short while played a little prank on you, Kurosaki," Ishida did not bother hiding the smirk on his face. He knew that the girl added some of her own reiatsu to modify a small portion of the pathway to make it slippery.

"She's out to get me! I swear she's definitely out to get me!" Ichigo was over his pain and had a murderous gaze in his eyes as he glared at Rika's Zanpakutou.

"Well, she does hate you, nii-san..." Rika said awkwardly. "But I'll talk to her about this, alright?"

"Keep her locked in your inner world!"

"I can't do that even if I wanted to, nii-san."

"Why not?"

"Yukianesa can come and go whenever she pleases. It's one of her abilities."

"Great. Just great..."

"But she normally behaves herself! Really!" As if to contradict that point, Yukianesa appeared, screaming a very familiar battle cry that was made famous by an anime character by the name of Kenshirou. With a powerful kick to a very sensitive area of the male anatomy, Ichigo's eyes nearly popped out of its sockets as he crumpled over, gently cradling the package in between his legs. Ishida and Sado felt sympathy for their fellow male, having gotten a fairly good idea how much the girl hated him.

"You are already dead," she stole one of Kenshirou's famous lines, looking down at Ichigo like he was a mere insect. She did not maintain that look for long before squealing happily in victory and vanishing once again. Rika cried out in dismay for her Zanpakutou before bowing repeatedly in rapid succession and begging her brother to forgive Yukianesa. Ichigo could not bring himself to reply, nearly knocked out cold from the low blow and desperately avoiding the light. He did swear to get revenge one day, though. Fortunately for everyone, especially Ichigo, Yukianesa remained quiet for the rest of the journey to Hueco Mundo.

When they exited the Garganta, they found themselves in some sort of building. Ichigo commented that he thought Hueco Mundo would resemble a pigsty. Ishida quickly hushed him, very sure that they had some sort of invader-detection system and already knew they were here. Ichigo paid no heed to that warning, continuing to wonder out loud if they really ended up in Hueco Mundo and pointing out that Ishida was speaking louder than him in the first place. He figured that things would be a lot quicker if the enemies came after them. They could just grab someone nearby and make them tell where Inoue was located.

"That is oversimplifying things way too much, nii-san," Rika shook her head in dismay. "What makes you think it will ever be that easy?"

"You never know," he shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey! If anyone's around, get out here!" he started yelling to catch anyone's attention. Surprisingly, Sado agreed with Ichigo's method, leaving Rika and Ishida who were against such an action.

"How do you even get along with him like that?" Ishida asked Rika.

"It's just his way to show he's confident about coming out on top no matter his actions," she answered. He nodded in understanding, the answer good enough for his sharp mind to understand what she meant. Despite that, they were still exasperated by his extreme lack of caution.

"Oh my God! Haven't you heard of a little thing called 'caution'?" Ishida exclaimed when he could no longer take it.

"Jeez, shut up!" Ichigo replied.

"Ishida, calm down," Sado was completely siding with Ichigo for this one. Rika could only sigh in resignation. She was used to his momentary lapses in intelligence and decided it was best to just let him be.

"I am calm!" Ishida protested as he slammed a fist on a seemingly innocent wall, until the section where his fist landed on moved inwards. As everyone stared stupidly at the wall, they soon heard rumbling sounds from in front of them. Very quickly, they saw the floor crumbling away and heading towards them.

"Run for it!" Sado told them, everyone making a u-turn as the crumbling floor chased after them.

"Ishida, look what you did!" Ichigo blamed the Quincy for setting off the trap.

"It's your fault!" he pushed the blame to Ichigo.

"Don't blame this on me!"

"This isn't the time to be arguing!" Sado quickly became the mediator.

"I know!" both of them said at the same time. "There's another path!" Ishida soon spotted a hallway that branched to another direction. "Which way should we go?"

"Who cares? Come on!" Ichigo picked up speed and took the lead. As they made the turn, Sado was the last to turn and would have fallen if Rika had not used Shunpo to make her way to him and carry him back to the group.

"I'm sorry," Sado apologized. "You're a life-saver."

"It's no problem. I'm glad to help," Rika replied.

"Boy, talk about an old trick," Ishida commented on the trap.

"And who fell for that old trick?" Ichigo sniped him.

"Well, I feel kind of bad about that..."

"That's fine, as long as you admit it."

"Let's keep moving," Rika urged the group. As they followed the path down the hallway, they figured it was quite safe. Ichigo did wonder how long it was as they had been walking down the same hallway for quite some time. Rika tried to maintain high spirits by stating that they would find something soon enough. Ichigo agreed, but none of them had sensed anyone around the area and wondered if they got lost. Ishida gave him a warning to be careful and he said he was until he stepped on a switch similar to the one Ishida pressed earlier. It did not take them long to see a giant boulder rolling towards them. Fortunately, Sado was there to save the day as he easily stopped the boulder and destroyed it with a single punch without needing to morph his arm.

"Nice, Chad!" Ichigo praised his friend while Rika applauded in genuine awe. Ishida was unhappy about it and berated Ichigo for his carelessness when something else started making its way down the hallway towards them. It was an extremely long arm.

"Who're you guys?" someone asked from the shadows.

"Hey, someone finally showed up!" Ichigo prepared to draw Zangetsu when he was pulled back by Ishida and the group started running away. "Why the hell are we running? We finally ran into an enemy! It was a great chance to ask him some questions!"

"Are you insane? We can't fight in a small place like this! What would we do if the building collapsed?" Ishida yelled at him.

"That's it? There's no way this place is gonna collapse!"

"You really are stupid! Didn't you notice while we were walking around? There isn't a single window in this entire hallway!"

"So what?" Ichigo did not get the point.

"It means we're in the basement, nii-san! Why else wouldn't there be any windows?" Rika explained.

"Who cares if we are in the basement?"

"It isn't wise to fight here. We have to wait until we find a wider area," Ishida advised.

"Up ahead, Ishida!" Sado notified them when they saw an exit. When they went past, they ended in a very wide area with certainly more than enough space to let loose.

"Okay! There's no problem with fighting here, right, Ishida?" Ichigo was eager to fight.

"A staircase. That may lead outside," Ishida noticed the staircase at the other end of the room. "I'll check it out." Before he could get far, something, more like someone, appeared in his path. It was a man with what seemed like his legs fused together into a tip.

"Where are you going, invader?" he asked. Behind them, the monster from earlier came into the room as well, trapping them in a pincer attack.

"Are these Arrancars too? They look more like regular Hollows compared to the Arrancars we've run into in the Living World," Ichigo noted. "Well, whatever. Everyone, you back off for now-" An elbow from Sado cut him off and sent him into a safe corner of the room. "What the hell's your problem, Chad?"

"It's your turn to back off, Ichigo," Sado replied.

"This time..." Ishida said.

"...we'll do the fighting," Sado finished the sentence.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ichigo demanded.

"Kurosaki, you have to conserve your strength until we find Inoue-san. Besides, I've learned about the Arrancars from Urahara-san," Ishida explained. "The group that Grimmjow brought with him consisted of Gillian and Adjuchas-class Arrancars. When a Menos Grande breaks off their mask and become Arrancars, they usually take on a human-like body. But only the Vasto Lorde have a 100% possibility to take human form. A large number of the other two are not able to do so. And the lower their intelligence, the more they resemble regular Hollows."

That insult incited an attack from the two Arrancars in the room. As Ishida and Chad fought back, they refused to allow either of the Kurosakis to help them. Rika decided to be useful in her own way and spread out her senses to detect if anything was coming. The fighting disturbed her concentration, so she closed her eyes to focus better. She was easily able to tune out the noise and put all her focus on sensing. Right after sensing Ishida defeat one of the Arrancars, she picked up something quickly approaching their way, and it was stronger than either of the two in the room.

"Nii-san, something's coming," Rika warned, drawing her Zanpakutou. "I'll handle that one."

"You too?" Ichigo was pretty dismayed that he was being disallowed from fighting.

"Remember what Ishida-senpai said? You need to preserve your energy, nii-san. You're the strongest one here. We can't have you worn out." Right after Sado defeated the other Arrancar, the third one arrived.

"Oh? You've defeated Demoura and Aisslinger already? Well, I never expected much from those boys anyway," a female voice spoke from the direction of the staircase. All heads turned to see a woman sitting casually on the stairs with one leg over the other. Her uniform was just one big jacket and a long skirt that reached her knees. It appeared she was not one for fashion judging by how casual her uniform was. Her Hollow mask, or what remained of it, resembled a stereo headset. The bone-like material completely covered her ears safe for a small hole and the rest of the mask went past her collar. She had short blonde hair and dark blue eyes that looked like she was constantly on the hunt. Her eyes scanned the room and easily identified who fought and defeated the two earlier Arrancars. And then her eyes landed on Rika. "Hello there, sweetie. I'm glad I made the effort to come here. I knew I wasn't wrong when I detected the scent of a female."

"...You disgust me," Rika said sharply. The way that Arrancar referred to her like some kind of delectable food touched too close to home. That woman reminded her of Grand Fisher, the one Hollow she hated more than anything else.

"That was quick," the woman looked honestly surprised. "You didn't even hear me out."

"I don't need to, nor do I want to. I detest people like you."

"No surprise there. Shinigamis and Hollows are natural enemies."

"I detest _people_ like you. I don't detest Hollows at all," Rika emphasized the word.

"Wow. That's the first time I've ever heard a Shinigami say straight from their mouths they don't hate Hollows. You interest me more and more, sweetie."

"I won't be that interesting once I cut you down."

"Can you, sweetie? I wonder how long you'll last against me," the woman Arrancar stated in a sing-song tone. "Just so you know, every other female I've ever come across has succumbed to me."

"What's with that creepy method of talking? Get to the point or get out of the way!" Ichigo spoke up.

"Be quiet, boy. I have no interest in anything male. My tastes lie solely with the female gender," she snapped.

"You sound way too much like a certain Hollow I despise with my entire being," Rika stated, her grip on Yukianesa getting tighter by the second.

"You mean Grand Fisher, don't you? Don't ever compare me with that brute, girl. I don't treat my prey like beef jerky. I devour them while making sure they die blissfully. He prefers eating females. I eat only females. No exceptions."

"You won't have me for a meal. I assure you of that," Rika declared confidently.

"Alright. I'll play with you for a little while, sweetie. I doubt you'll last very long, though," the woman jumped over gracefully but with a dangerous poise. She made to swing her arm and a vine lined with thorns shot out from her sleeves, aiming to slash at Rika. It was a very careless move that pretty much guaranteed the vine would be cut, but that was the plan. As the Arrancar expected, Rika hacked off the vine without any difficulty. The moment the vine hit the ground, it emitted a pink gas from the stump.

"Poison gas?" Ishida exclaimed as everyone quickly covered their mouths and noses to prevent inhaling it.

"Oh no. That is not poison. Not at all. It's more like... stimulant, shall we say? Don't worry, boys. This gas is harmless... to males, that is," she said as she swiftly made some distance. Slowly and hesitantly, the boys took a cautious whiff and true to her word, nothing weird was happening to them. Rika, on the other hand, had suddenly started breathing harder, and was she blushing? "Can you figure it out, sweetie?" the woman asked in a teasing manner.

Rika rushed towards her and made to attack, but the Arrancar kept her distance and refused to engage her, taunting her every now and then by keeping the exact same distance. If Rika tried Shunpo to chase her, she would back off with Sonido. It was like a game of cat and mouse. Over time, Ichigo noticed that his sister was getting sloppy and her focus was not completely intact. It was like she was fighting with some sort of resistance. Did the gas do something to her? Rika stopped pursuing to shake her head, trying to regain her focus.

"Something's very wrong here... Why is your sister looking so flushed? Surely she's not already exhausted?" Ishida was now ignoring the gas floating around. Sado had destroyed the vine completely but there was nothing anyone could do to get rid of the already existing gas.

"No way! Rika isn't that weak! The gas is doing something to her! I just don't know what!" Ichigo defended his sister.

"She's looking like she can't concentrate. Something is making her very distracted. Look," Sado pointed to Rika who had stopped yet again to shake her head, more violently this time. "Her eyes are unfocused."

"Come now. Didn't you say you wouldn't let me eat you? If you don't kill me, or at least force me to retreat far, far away, I'll devour you, and you'll be enjoying me sucking your soul dry," the Arrancar taunted. She did not need to do anything else except keep away. That first move and the gas was already enough to ensure her victory.

"It can't be..." Ishida seemed to have gotten an idea of what the gas really was.

"What? What did you find out?" Ichigo was getting increasingly worried for Rika's state of mind.

"Hey, Arrancar! This gas of yours... It's a sexual stimulant that affects females exclusively, am I right?"

"You have good brains, boy. But it's too late for the sweet-looking girl there," the woman confirmed his guess. "How's it going, sweetie? Is it too much for you? Do you want to fondle yourself, hmm? Do you want to do your chest? Or perhaps you would like to touch down there?"

Those words only made Rika's situation worse. Her hands were shaking violently as she willed them not to do just as the Arrancar had stated. Her body was feeling hot all over, particularly her chest and her crotch. She was breathing hard and her vision kept on glazing over. She had to will herself not to collapse and give in to the temptation. When she shook off another blurred vision, she failed to see a backhand heading her way and was thrown across the room, ending up face-down. When she tried to pick herself up, the shihakushou brushed against her areas and shock ran through her body, making her lose the strength to stand up.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Has it gotten so bad you feel like humping yourself on the ground?" the woman taunted again as she kicked the prone Rika into a wall. Ichigo had enough and tried to intercept but was held back by his two friends.

"Rika's gonna die against that woman! You heard what she said!" Ichigo struggled to shake them loose.

"Believe in your sister, Kurosaki! She hasn't given up yet! Look at her!" Ishida gestured with his eyes. They saw Rika force herself into a sitting position, leaning on the wall with a very flushed face and glossy eyes. One thing they saw that showed she was still resisting was her tight grip on her Zanpakutou.

"Don't worry, sweetie. You'll have a very sweet release of death," the woman Arrancar Sonido-ed over to Rika and moving to lean into her. "Have you ever heard of 'the kiss of death'? Let me give it to you, sweetie." Unable to do so much as even hear what she said, Rika could only sit there as the Arrancar pressed her lips onto hers. Her eyes widened and lost their unfocused look for only a second before all the accumulated gas flowing inside her body took action. The glossy look returned and her eyes began to feel heavy. She barely registered a hand sneaking into her shihakushou and her reiryoku being drained from the mouth-to-mouth contact. Although her body was giving in to the stimulated temptation, her mind was still resisting with all its might. Her mind had not been broken yet.

_'I can't let it end like this...! I'm going to die by being molested by this woman? I won't accept that! Move, body, move! I... must...!' _With her mind screaming so hard to re-exert control over her body, Rika managed just enough willpower to lift her leg to kick away the molesting Arrancar. **"Play... Yukianesa..." **she could barely speak the words, but a whisper was more than enough for her Zanpakutou spirit to hear.

"I'm amazed you can still resist. But I believe you can't resist one more. This is the end, sweetie. Enjoy my gift to you before I devour you," the Arrancar came over to deliver one more 'kiss of death'. When her hand slithered forward to lift Rika's chin so she could deliver the final kiss...

**"Fuyu no Kata..." **She suddenly found her entire arm frozen solid and could no longer feel any part of the affected limb. She looked up to see an ice cocoon protecting Rika and the Zanpakutou by her side glowing a very bright white. She then heard the whispered voice that would be the last thing she would ever hear. **"Yukikaze."**

It was just a single tired swing to the side from a seated position, but the reiatsu gathered in Yukianesa was more than enough to cut the Arrancar in two from the chest up. There was not even a scream, the woman simply vanished like smoke, presumably getting purified as well since the Gates of Hell did not appear. They did not know where Arrancars would get sent to after being killed by a Shinigami. When the reiatsu in Yukianesa vanished into snow crystals that faded away into the air, she started to choke. She had just used up all her reiatsu without absorbing any. She tried to reach for the Hollow mask to resupply herself, but the stimulus inside her prevented her from doing so even though the gas had vanished upon the Arrancar's death.

Fortunately, Yukianesa knew when things were serious and materialized herself. She took out the Hollow mask and placed in over her wielder's face, willing the reiatsu stored in it to restore Rika's reserves. When her reserves were fully restored, she took the mask off and replaced it inside her shihakushou.

"Take care of Master's body, Mr. Idiot. I'm bringing her into her inner world so she can rest without being affected by that deplorable stimulant," Yukianesa instructed Ichigo when he came over to check on his sister.

"Kurosaki-san is barely even hurt. Surely there isn't any need for that...?" Ishida questioned.

"Unless you want to be the one to ravage her senseless, go ahead, Quincy-san," she quirked an eyebrow at him. "I'm giving her forced sleep. You _do _know what would happen if she remains conscious, right? Are you sure you wish to be one to calm Master's urges when she can no longer hold herself back?"

"Hey, Ishida! I'll really kill you if you even consider it!" Ichigo snarled, but otherwise did not make a move.

"As if I'll do such a thing! It just slipped my mind for a moment!" Ishida denied with a furious blush on his face.

Satisfied, Yukianesa pulled her cape to expand it into a huge white cloth. It fell on both girls, showing off their figures for a moment before the cloth shrank and disappeared, leaving behind only a sleeping Rika. Ichigo was torn between worry and pride for his sister, and decided on simply donning his usual scowl.

"She did very well, Ichigo," Sado placed his hand on Ichigo's shoulder to show support.

"That was a fight almost all women would have lost to. Your sister is incredible to have the willpower to fight through such an extreme disadvantage that was especially made to dispatch women," Ishida gave his own share of praise.

"Yeah..." Ichigo looked at Rika sleeping in his arms with a gentleness of a loving brother. "Perhaps if I was a girl, I would probably be dead already."

"Don't sell yourself that short, Kurosaki. You would have instantly caught her with your Bankai. She wouldn't have even lasted a second against you."

"Heh. You're right about that." Before more words could be exchanged, the room started caving in. Aisslinger, who remained quiet to preserve what life he had left, told them the room was triggered to destroy itself once all Arrancars in it were defeated. Almost out of respect for a fellow warrior, he told them that Aizen feared nothing, and that was why the Hollows followed him. To beings like them who were born out of fear, the path of a man like Aizen was as dazzling as a moonbeam.

As sand started to pour in, they quickly evacuated the building just in time not to be buried that deep in sand. They managed to dig their way out and found themselves in a desolate desert world that was Hueco Mundo. In the distance, they spotted a fortress that the Arrancars said was called Las Noches. That was their destination, and that was where Inoue was being held.

**Author's Note: The group takes the first step into Hueco Mundo and enters the underground building where the two original Arrancars plus an unnamed OC Arrancar woman is waiting for them. I really applaud the author of Bleach or whoever it is that came up with all the Arrancar names. I failed to come up with one I liked, trust me I tried, so I opted not to name the OC Arrancar or give her a Resurreccion. She's only alive for this chapter anyway.**

**Rika takes on the woman Arrancar, which just so happens to feast exclusively on females, and has the ability to let them die in absolute bliss. Rika manages to steal a victory from her despite being heavily affected by the gas.**

**The next chapter will introduce the Thieves Nel-Don-Pe and the journey to Las Noches. The Forest of Menos will not be covered as I believe it has no real impact to the story.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	50. Desert Siblings Join The Party

Rika was stirred awake after what felt like taking a ride in a washing machine and then being spit out forcefully. Her sleepiness was cleared when Ichigo talked to her to gain her attention. He said that she had been out for quite a while, probably an hour as they had been running for a very long time in the desert towards a fortress in the distance. That was Las Noches. They had just been caught in a sandstorm tornado and they had forcefully broken out of it. Now that she was conscious again, they could proceed at a faster pace.

Meanwhile at Las Noches, Aizen had gathered his Espada for a discussion concerning the invaders. After everyone had settled down, he began the meeting by having Tousen turn on a projector in the middle of the table.

"There are four intruders: Ishida Uryuu, Sado Yasutora, and the Kurosaki siblings. The boy is Kurosaki Ichigo, and the girl is Kurosaki Rika," Aizen showed them a close-up of their faces on the projector. Grimmjow reacted with surprise at seeing the Kurosaki siblings. Aizen took notice of his reaction as he calmly sipped his tea. Ulquiorra spared merely a glance before closing his eyes. The rest of the Espada appeared dissatisfied with the invaders. "You are not allowed to underestimate them. They were once labeled ryoka. Just the five of them broke into Soul Society and fought on par with the Gotei 13," Aizen gave the Espadas some information about them.

"Five? Then one of them is missing," one Espada noted. "Where's the fifth?"

"It was Inoue Orihime."

"So they came to save their friend? Why not let them, even though they look weak as hell?" a tall and very lean Espada with an eye patch suggested jokingly.

"Haven't you been listening?" the only female Espada asked him.

"Huh?"

"Aizen-sama told us not to underestimate them."

"I didn't mean it like that. You afraid?"

"What did you say?"

Their argument was stopped by Grimmjow loudly slamming his hand on the table and then walking away.

"Where are you going, Grimmjow?" Aizen asked.

"I'm going to kill them," he replied. "You gotta exterminate bugs as soon as they start infesting your home."

"Aizen-sama has not given such an order yet," Tousen told him, having remained silent until now. "Return to your seat."

"I'm going to crush them for your precious Aizen-sama!" he snapped.

"Grimmjow," Aizen called the wayward Espada politely.

"Yes?"

"I appreciate your intentions, but I'm not finished speaking yet. Could you return to your seat, please?" He waited for a while, but there no was answer. "Well? I didn't hear your answer, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez." Feeling the need to enforce a little discipline, he flared his reiatsu, focusing all its intensity on Grimmjow, forcing him to his knees. "Good. I see you understand." Aizen stood up to tell the Espada to take his next words with more seriousness. "Members of the Espada, as you can see, there are four enemies. It's unwise to underestimate them, but there's no need to make a commotion, either. Everyone, return to your rooms and act as if everything were normal. Don't be insolent or impatient. Just sit and wait for the enemy to come to us. And do not be afraid. Regardless of the situation, so long as you stay with me, we are invincible."

"One thing, Aizen-sama," the tall and lean Espada spoke up.

"What is it, Nnoitra?"

"That woman, that other Kurosaki. I heard some rumors flying around that two certain Espadas got cut by the supposed weaker opponent than the one using Bankai." Nnoitra could not resist jabbing at that two certain Espadas. Yammy and Grimmjow could be heard snarling under their breaths.

"Those rumors are true. Kurosaki Rika is indeed less powerful than her brother. By all rights, what Kurosaki Ichigo cannot cut, she cannot either. However, the ability of her Shikai is what makes her as even a threat as her brother, perhaps more."

"And what is that?"

"Kurosaki Rika has kept her Shikai's abilities very tightly guarded, but what we do know is it has the ability to conjure ice."

"That's it? Surely that's not enough to cut them the way the rumors said."

"Of course not. The ability that I suggest all of you keep in mind is that her Shikai has the ability to ignore Hierro." That caught the attention of all the Espadas besides Ulquiorra. He had seen that ability for himself already. "I see all of you are curious. If you happen to engage her, do remember that Hierro will do you no good against her. Keep it in mind lest you end up getting wounded needlessly."

"Hah! That doesn't prove anything! The only thing it did prove is how thin the Hierro of those two are!" Nnoitra clearly did not believe a single word. "I am the Espada with the strongest Hierro! There is no way in hell that woman can cut me!"

"If you believe so. Just keep my words in mind. Is there anything else?" Aizen waited for a question. When none came, he dismissed the Espada.

Back with Ichigo's group, everyone was taking a short breather as Ichigo complained that they ran for so long and yet not getting any closer. He questioned if that fortress was really even there. Sado noted that in contrast to the desert trees, the fortress had to be unimaginably gigantic if they could see how big it was from where they were, which was still very far away. Ichigo asked if it was a mirage to which Ishida denied. Before he could get into explaining the concept of mirages, Ichigo spotted a small Hollow animal and wondered how it could survive without eating a human soul.

Ishida explained that the air in Hueco Mundo was thick with spirit particles, and it provided enough energy for small animals to live simply by breathing. Since Quincys fought with spirit particles, he felt exceptionally good in Hueco Mundo. Ichigo mocked him as being similar to a Hollow which Ishida took offense to. As he started blabbing on about the spirit particles in Hueco Mundo making the Hollows there stronger, Ichigo opted to ignore him and move on. They stopped after a few steps when they sensed something approaching them.

From beneath the desert sand, a gigantic worm, a large but dumpy Hollow with a tiki mask, and a more humanoid Hollow with an insect-like mask emerged to chase a small human girl wearing a green gown with a hood that covered her entire body. She was crying as she desperately ran for her life, trying to escape her pursuers.

"A human?" Rika exclaimed in shock.

"No way! There couldn't possibly be another human here!" Ishida denied even though he was just as shocked at the girl's appearance.

"We'll figure it out later! Let's save her!" Ichigo ran towards the Hollows to save the little girl. As they quickly followed after him, Rika was stopped by what felt like a mental kick from Yukianesa.

_"Are you an imbecile? That child is clearly an Arrancar. Can't you tell just from feeling her reiatsu?" _Yukianesa scolded her. Stunned by that information, Rika stopped in her tracks to sense the girl's reiatsu. To her surprise, Yukianesa was right. The girl's reiatsu output was small and probably why she failed to pick it up earlier. By then, Ichigo and his friends had already knocked away the three pursuing Hollows and were about to kill them when the girl cried out to leave her brothers alone, her hood falling off and revealing the broken skull mask on her head, marking her as Hollow. The girl and her friends prostrated in front of Ichigo and his group, apologizing for the misunderstanding their game of eternal tag had caused. They only played it because there was nothing fun to do in Hueco Mundo.

"Tag? But weren't you crying?" Rika asked with great concern. Having been looked up to as a replacement for their dead mom by her younger sisters, she could not help but feel worried for the young girl in front of her, regardless of her species as a Hollow. Children were something she was overly sensitive with. It was the main reason why she put up with Yukianesa like she did. The spirit looked like a little girl. It was really hard for her to get genuinely angry with children, and people who looked like children. Adults who behaved like children, on the other hand, annoyed her fairly quickly. Her dad, for example. Too bad he did not look like a kid to go along with his behavior.

"Yep! But Nel's a serious masochist, so it's no fun if I don't cry a little!" Nel replied with a happy look on her face. She was speaking with a heavy lisp.

"What the hell are you teaching this kid?" Ichigo punched the Hollow with the tiki mask on the back of his head. Everyone had quickly written them off as 'non-hostile'.

"Is Nel your name?" Ishida asked.

"Yeah! I'm the Arrancar Nel Tu," the girl introduced herself.

"Arrancar?" Ichigo was surprised by that. Rika had been too earlier.

"Uh-huh! And they're..." she gestured to the humanoid Hollow. He introduced himself as Pesche, Nel's brother. The one with the tiki mask was Dondochakka, and he spoke with a Yakuza accent, causing the group to sweatdrop. The giant worm was their pet, Bawabawa.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Ichigo stopped them.

"What?"

"Arrancars have family and pets?"

"Nii-san! How can you say something so rude?" Rika was appalled at his bluntness.

"You meanie! Of course we do!" Nel insisted. Dondochakka said that he met her by chance and because she was so cute he decided to be her brother. The same went for Pesche.

"But, that means you're not siblings as all," Ichigo muttered. All three of them froze up and started panicking.

"T-Then what are we?"

"We're not siblings?" Dondochakka added.

"No way!"

"No, no. You are siblings. When you picked up Nel-chan, you became her adopted brother," Rika quickly removed the needless panic her brother had caused. She kicked him in the back of his knees for his insensitive questions, bringing him down.

"I mean, never mind. My mistake," he admitted as he massaged his injured legs. "You guys can be siblings." After the pain was gone, he stood back up and scrutinized Nel closely. "So are you really an Arrancar?" he asked. He just was not convinced a child could be an Arrancar when all Arrancars he had met so far were powerful warriors.

"What are you talking about? Can't you see my awesome broken mask?" she pointed to the Hollow mask sitting peacefully on top of her head. It was a broken skull, but it looked like a cartoon drawing from a child's picture book.

"Yeah, but you're totally different from the ones who came to the Living World," Ichigo mentioned. His group silently admitted to themselves that childish-looking Hollow masks existed, as hard as it was to believe that.

"Duh! The ones who went to the Living World were all Numeros," she knew what he was referring to. What he asked what the Numeros were, she explained that Numeros were the guys who were even more powerful than Menos Grande before they turned into Arrancars. They got two-digit numbers and work directly for the Espada. Numeros were combat experts, and comparing little bugs like Nel and her buddies were like comparing the stars with dirt. It was a very good example, except Ichigo and his group were downtrodden at hearing Nel refer to herself and her brothers as little bugs. "Actually, with the way you keep asking us stuff, and those clothes, you guys don't like anything like Arrancars!" she pointed out. "You don't have a mask and you're wearing a black kimono. You look kinda like a Shi-"

"Just like a Shinigami," Dondochakka supplied the term.

"Like a Shinigami," Pesche agreed.

"Oh no," Rika groaned, watching them get stoned from that realization. Everyone was so still they could hear the breeze passing by them.

"U-Um..." Nel was understandably extremely nervous, her whole body shaking like a leaf and sweating bullets.

"What?" Ichigo asked.

"What's your job?"

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, a substitute Shinigami," he answered. Nel's finger moved on to Rika.

"I'm Kurosaki Rika, his younger sister and the same job," she introduced herself with a small bow. She really did not want to scare the poor Arrancar girl any further. Best to look nice and polite.

"I'm Ishida Uryuu, a Quincy."

"I'm Sado Yasutora, a human." With all the introductions done, Nel and her brothers exploded into a screaming mess before collecting themselves and accusing all four of them as bad guys.

"You didn't know what we were?" Ichigo asked.

"Y-Y-You never told us!" Nel accused him. Pesche and Dondochakka stuck to their claim that they were bad guys, panicking Nel further. "Oh no! T-T-T-They're gonna kill us!" Her brothers agreed wholeheartedly with her.

"Uh... No, we're not going to kill you," Ichigo deadpanned.

"D-Don't worry. We're not your enemies, we promise," Rika tried to appease them.

"Boy, these guys are nuts," Ishida sighed.

"I never thought there'd be Arrancars like them," Sado admitted. Nel and her brothers got into a close-knitted discussion about what to do with them and came up with a plan to let them win against the 'bad guys'.

"Mr. Shinigami, since you aren't a bad guy, will you play with us?" Nel asked. Ichigo only pointed a finger to himself with a 'Huh?'. He turned to Rika who looked back at him with a disapproving look.

"I'm Ms. Shinigami if you didn't already know that, nii-san. I'll hit you if you think Nel-chan meant to call me Mister," she told him sternly.

"Here I go!" Nel started the game without waiting for his approval. She leaped over to him and easily snatched Zangetsu away from him. "Come on! We're playing 'eternal tag'!" she started running away.

"Hey, you!" Ichigo started to chase after her, wanting to take back his Zanpakutou.

"Chase me and beat me up!"

"You little turd..." Pesche and Dondochakka then chased after Ichigo. Bawabawa who had retreated underground a moment ago, resurfaced to force Sado and Ishida into playing eternal tag and then chasing after them. Rika was the only one not playing... until Nel turned her way and started chasing after her, causing her to instinctively run away and getting caught in the game as well.

It was not until Nel tripped on a partially hidden root and quickly whisked away by Ichigo before her brothers came crashing down by tripping on the same root. He handed her to Rika to clear the sand away from Nel. It was more appropriate to let a girl clean another girl, after all.

"Hey, can you stand?" Ichigo asked as Rika brushed Nel clean from the dust and sand.

"D-Did you save me?" she asked, a little surprised by his actions.

"Of course! You would've been squashed if all of them fell on top of you! You aren't hurt, right?"

"Nope."

"I see. That's good." Ichigo reclaimed Zangetsu and told her that they were in a hurry. "Later!"

"Take care of yourself, Nel-chan," Rika patted her gently on her skull mask as she followed after her brother. Nel stared at the two nicest Shinigamis she ever met as they started leaving. In an attempt to make them stay, she accused them of running away. She started crying when Ichigo told her that he was not going to play with her anymore because they were in a hurry.

"Meanie! I want to play some more! I'd rather die than stop now!" she wept.

"Then I shall give you the death you seek," a rumbling voice echoed all around them. Ichigo and his group took defensive stances as Ishida warned something was coming. In front of them, the sand starting piling up on its own and formed a huge upper body of a person that towered above all of them. On the middle of the chest was a Hollow hole and the typical Hollow mask on its face. Nel recognized the sand creature as Runuganga, the guardian of the white sands. "I just received word that there were invaders headed toward Las Noches. But to think worms like you would work together with them. Unforgivable! I shall turn the lot of you into desert land!" he threatened the whole group of mixed species beneath him.

"Oh no! We weren't really-" Nel tried to come up with an excuse when Ichigo stepped in front of her.

"Move," he said. "He's not here to play." He unwrapped Zangetsu and prepped it for an attack. "Here I come, you monster! **Getsuga Tenshou!" **With a swing, the crescent energy wave shot out from his Zanpakutou and sliced straight through Runuganga's head, splitting it in two. "Good," he was satisfied as he rested his sword on his shoulder. Rika and Nel's group were not satisfied, though for different reasons.

"So quick! That was a cheap shot! He's a cheater!" Nel hurled insults at him. "He's a bad guy!" All three Arrancar siblings echoed.

"Shut up! Why do you even care? I mean, I just saved you, didn't I?" he turned to them, exasperated by their childish accusations. "Besides, I attacked him from the front, so it wasn't a cheap shot." When he saw Rika scoop Nel in her arms and Shunpo backwards to create more distance, he asked what was wrong.

"That monster is made of sand. There's no way he's going to just keel over from something like that," Rika told him. "He wasn't even purified! Look! He's still there!" Rika was no Urahara, but her counsel was almost as good as his when it came to observation. She had been trained by his truly on it, after all. Ishida and Sado agreed with her when they felt the monster restore himself.

"You don't even acknowledge striking an unfair blow?" Runuganga actually agreed with Nel that Ichigo did make a cheap shot as he slowly rejoined his split head. "You're becoming more despicable by the moment!"

"That was not a cheap shot, damn it!" Ichigo defended his honor. "And why did you regenerate? What is this thing?" he turned to ask Nel. He heard what Rika had told him, but he decided to let the more better-informed person tell him.

"Can't you tell? Runuganga-sama's made of sand," Nel repeated what Rika had just said.

"Don't say it like that! He's after you guys too, you know! You shouldn't be so relaxed!"

"Nel-chan is safe with me. I'll protect her. Nii-san, you have to find a way to at least stop him long enough for us to run past him," she gave him a plan of action.

"Talk is meaningless!" Runuganga finally attacked by throwing a strong punch. Ichigo rolled out of the way, annoying him further. "You annoy me!" he whipped up a sandstorm tornado and threw it towards him. All of them stood their ground, not getting sucked into the vortex. Nel would have been sucked in as she was the smallest and the lightest, but Rika kept her close to prevent such a thing. "You're tough! I'll kill all of you at the same time!" He then made three tornadoes, alarming the group. Ichigo fired another Getsuga Tenshou in retaliation, but he just took the attack and simply reformed again. "Fool! It's useless!" When they backed away to escape, he taunted them. "How naive! Did you really think such weak attacks could defeat the great Runuganga?"

Ishida suggested attacking together and combining their attacks to blow him away until nothing remained. The three attacks from Ichigo, Ishida and Sado were enough to totally disperse Runuganga's entire body and leaving an eerie silence that discomforted them. Despite that, everyone noted that Rika did not help to attack the sand monster.

"Kurosaki-san, might I inquire why you did not join us in our attack?" Ishida asked, not necessarily out of spite. He was just genuinely curious. She was a great deal more reasonable than Ichigo, so he could talk a lot more civilly with her. That was a huge plus in his book, and did not mind returning her polite gestures with his own. It was impossible to do that with her brother.

"I can't," Rika frowned. She really did not want to explain why she could not join them.

"Why not?" he pressed on. "Surely someone with the reiatsu you have can spare some for just one attack."

"I'm really sorry, but I use a technique without warming up my Zanpakutou, I have to answer to very serious consequences if I don't," she explained.

"Such as?" This line of questioning brought back certain memories in Ichigo he would rather keep locked away forever. Seeing Rika collapse and looking like she was about to die from being unable to breathe right after using one of her techniques was one of them, right next to remembering their mother's death. He had come to terms with her death, but he would rather not remember how.

"That reminds me. You were nearly incapacitated from losing all your reiatsu," Ichigo mentioned. "You never explained to me why using a huge technique drains you of all your reiatsu, and why your reiatsu rarely decreases during a fight." Rika gulped and was clearly nervous. It was something Yukianesa forbade her from revealing.

"I... I can't... I promised Yukianesa I won't tell anyone..." Rika diverted her eyes away.

"Rika, look at me," Ichigo's voice was stern and she hesitantly looked back at him. "Forget about that promise and tell us. If something like that happens again here, you'll die for sure. Stop letting that girl tell you what to do. Trust us, Rika."

"But... But...!" Rika was torn between keeping her promise to her Zanpakutou spirit and bending to her brother's wishes.

"Something doesn't add up here. It is virtually impossible for anyone to use up their entire reiatsu no matter how large a technique is," Ishida arrived at the same conclusion Urahara had when he asked about Rika's abilities. "Unless something is forcing you to use up that amount without exception, it is impossible." Urahara had also arrived at that conclusion as well. Noticing the slight look of shock on her face, he deduced that he was on the right track. "I suppose that is the doing of your Zanpakutou?" Rika nodded weakly. There was no point in hiding what he already figured out.

"That's not all, is there, Rika? You still haven't told us why you can use your techniques without harm. You have to tell us. Now isn't the time to be hiding your insecurities from us. You'll put us all in danger, especially yourself. We're a team, remember? You're not alone," Ichigo told her sternly, but he had a gentle look in his eyes. "I won't keep you to the side anymore. You're running with us now."

"But... I promised her I wouldn't tell!" Rika was hanging to that last bit of hope they would drop the subject.

_"You can let go of that promise now, Master. I agree with your brother for once. We are now in enemy territory. We can no longer afford secrecy within our own group now. Ease your heart, Master. Tell them everything they need to know. I won't get mad, I promise," _Yukianesa spoke with a proud tone in her voice. It nearly brought Rika to tears hearing Yukianesa sound proud of her. It felt like she had finally proven herself to her Zanpakutou spirit.

"H-He's coming back!" Nel warned as she hid behind Rika's leg before she could reveal her tightest kept secret. An antlion's pit opened up and very quickly engulfed all of their feet, ensuring no escape could be made as the sand tried to suck them in to the center. Rika hurriedly yanked Nel up and carried her the same way she would a baby to prevent her from sinking in. She was the lightest, and likely the first to sink to the bottom.

"Isn't there something we can do?" Ichigo turned to Ishida for ideas when their feet sank deeper into the sand.

"Doesn't look like it!" Ishida had nothing to attack.

"I can't figure out how to attack it," Sado had the same negative reply.

"Tch!" Ichigo turned to Rika and Nel. Maybe Nel had an idea. "Nel, doesn't he have some kind of weak spot?"

"It's probably water but... Nel?" Rika encouraged Nel to answer.

"Um, yeah, he's got one, but I can't tell it to a bad guy," Nel refused. She got her cheek pinched and pulled as a punishment.

"Now is not the time, Nel-chan! Everyone is getting sucked into the sand, including you! Hurry up and tell us!" Rika half-pleaded, half-scolded.

"Water! It's water!" she relented.

"Where the hell do we get water in a desert?" Ichigo was getting exasperated over the seemingly impossible solution. "Wait! Rika! Use your Zanpakutou! You can freeze this thing, right?" he remembered.

"I just told you! I can't do it in an instant! You know what will happen!" Rika exclaimed. The requirement that she absorb reiatsu from fighting to fire off one of her major techniques had never been so disadvantageous to Rika before. She just could not do one-shots without paying a hefty price for it. She had done so before, but gambling her safety now was a very bad idea. She also did not want to reduce the time for her Vizard Mode even further, especially if she needed the power boost at a critical moment.

"Damn it! Then how can we beat this guy?"

"You can't!" Nel piped up. "There's no water here! That's why Runuganga-sama's invincible! And why he's the guardian here!"

"I'll swallow you all in one mouthful!" Runuganga laughed as he reformed, enlarging his mouth big enough to engulf everyone in one go. He was stopped when a huge blast of snow blasted towards him and freezing him entirely. In his frozen state, he toppled backwards and shattered into pieces, killing him for good. With the danger gone, Ichigo picked up the presence of two friends he thought could not make it. In the distance, standing on a hill, were two Shinigamis.

"Rukia! Renji!" he muttered their names as everyone climbed out of the non-moving pit.

"M-M-More Shinigamis! More bad guys!" Nel was clearly frightened and shaking at seeing more 'bad guys', and hid herself behind Rika once again. It appeared she only trusted Ichigo and Rika. Anyone else was still labeled 'bad guys'.

"Rukia! Renji! You guys..." he ran to them as they jumped from the hill they were standing on to land near his group. When he arrived to greet them, he was rewarded with a punch from both of them. Nel was crying out in worry for him as he lay flat on the sand.

"You all right, Kurosaki?" Ishida asked with a sweatdrop.

"Not by a long shot," he muttered.

"Fool! Why did you enter Hueco Mundo on your own? Why didn't you wait for us to come back?" Rukia started yelling at him.

"I wasn't sure if you'd be able to come back after all that," he replied.

"Of course we were!" she got right in his face. "We were coming back no matter what!" At his surprised look, she calmed down a little. "That's what Renji and I were planning from the start. Why didn't you wait for us? Why couldn't you believe in us? We're your friends, Ichigo!"

"Yeah, you're right," he conceded to her.

"Just as long as you understand. Don't make me say something pathetic like that ever again." The conversation was apparently dropped, but Rika was not going to let it go that easy. Her anger was mostly simmered by now, but it was surely not forgotten.

"Nii-san was honestly right when he said he wasn't sure if you would return to help us. The captains might have apprehended you the moment you were brought back to Soul Society. How can you blame him for making such a decision? He didn't know, not that he never trusted and believed you. You should already know how steadfast nii-san is. Regardless of that, you still go off and tirade about friendship. That is fine, but it no longer is when you call it pathetic in the very next breath. So which is it?" Rika glowered darkly at Rukia.

Sensing the clear dislike and growing hostility between the two girls, Ichigo hurriedly broke up the argument before it started.

"Enough, Rika. All that matters is that they're come to help," he quickly got in between them and slowly led his sister away.

"I'm really sorry, nii-san, but I just can't seem to get over it," she apologized, biting her lower lip to keep herself in check. "I get that we aren't as close as you are with her. But it's just... I can't stand the fact that she hits and abuses you just because she's not satisfied with your decisions, even when they are sound and logical. I don't know why you take it, and I'm not going to ask why. I just can't stand it. How can I stand it when nii-san gets hit like that just because she's not happy?"

"I don't have much to say to deny that, but that doesn't mean I enjoy getting hit," he defended himself. "I don't know how to explain this very well, but let's just leave it as friendly banter."

"...Alright. I'll respect your decision, nii-san. I'm still not happy with it, though..." she relented.

"Sorry about that, Rukia. Rika is pretty sensitive when it comes to things like these. I guess she can't help it, having taken on a mother's role for herself," Ichigo tried to placate the fuming Rukia. No-one liked being painted as the bad guy unless they were the bad guy, and she was no exception. "I don't know if you get it or not, but try to see things from her point of view."

"A mother's role, huh...?" Rukia did take a few moments to consider how Rika took her actions to be. Having never done anything that a typical mother would and having never been raised by a mother figure, she had little idea to go with. What she did know was Rika was generally a kind and sweet person who cared about others so long as they have not wronged her or her family in any way. She probably saw her 'attack' on Ichigo as an unjustified, blatant assault because she believed Rukia did not bother to consider the other side's circumstances. Truth be told, Rukia actually got where Ichigo was coming from. She merely chose to ignore it in favor for her own feelings. He might complain from time to time, but he would forget about it moments later. She could easily imagine it would leave a pretty bad image if the mother of the one attacked saw a similar scene. Now that Ichigo had given her some insight of Rika's character, Rukia did not find her as irritating as she once thought. She was just the kind of person who put the entire family before herself, just like a caring mother would. Deciding to at least attempt to look at her in a new light, she noticed the group of Hollows that were hanging around near them. "All that aside, what are those guys?"

"That was rude!" Nel was offended as she removed herself from Rika to strike a pose. "Nel Tu!"

"Dondochakka!" Dondochakka joined in on the pose-striking.

"Pesche Guatiche!" So did Pesche. "The three of us together are the..." They said as one...

"Thieves Nel-Don-Pe!"

"The Three Siblings!"

"The Great Desert Brothers!"

...before totally falling apart.

"You guys are completely out of sync," Ichigo and Rika showed an example of actually being in sync. Nel and her brothers immediately started arguing that their respective versions of the group introduction was better than the other. "As you can see, they're all Hollows," Ichigo told Rukia.

"What do you mean?" Rukia had a hard time believing that. When Bawabawa started crying because he was left out during the group introduction, they calmed him down and proceeded to redo it but with the same mess as before.

"I get it, so shut up now," Ichigo deadpanned. "Let's go, Rukia, Renji." Ready to resume their journey to Las Noches, they were once again stopped by Nel.

"W-Wait a sec! Itsygo! Rika!" Nel called out to them, unable to pronounce the elder Kurosaki's name properly.

"My name's not Itsygo!" Ichigo exclaimed. Rika merely giggled at his botched name.

"Nel will take you to Las Noches!" she offered out of nowhere. However, the group was glad they did not have to run all the way to the fortress thanks to being given a ride on Bawabawa. Nel latched onto Ichigo, glaring and pouting at Rukia who sat a distance behind him.

"Why is she glaring at me?" Rukia pointed to the child Arrancar.

"I wonder..." Ichigo shrugged.

"What's your relationship with Itsygo?" Nel asked with a dark tone.

"Huh?" Rukia deadpanned. Of all the things she could glare at her for, why that?

"Popular with the ladies, eh?" Renji asked mockingly.

"Kiss my ass..." Ichigo muttered. He then asked them about where they got their cloaks. After getting an explanation that Byakuya was the one who gave them the cloaks, he remembered having a discussion with Rika concerning her Zanpakutou and continued where they left off earlier. She had a very hard time explaining to everyone just why she could not use Yukianesa with reckless abandon. Everyone was amazed when they heard Yukianesa had the passive ability to absorb a portion of reiatsu each time an attack was hit or guarded. As long as Shikai was active, even a punch could absorb reiatsu. Rukia likened it to the Zanpakutou of the lieutenant of the 3rd Division, Kira Izuru. His Shikai doubled the weight of anything he cut with his Zanpakutou. It was a passive ability as well. Ichigo remembered the stitches on Grimmjow. He understood now why she was able to cut him so easily when he could not. He also understood why Ulquiorra mentioned a mission that involved eliminating his sister. He understood now why Aizen wanted her dead. As the realization dawned on him, he grabbed her and demanded why she never told anyone she knew she was being targeted. She never answered him because he already knew why.

"What are you doing, Rika?" Nel settled into Rika's lap, looking up at her with a curious face. Nel was satisfied with Rukia's non-response as a suitable answer and stopped glaring at her. Spotting Rika gazing almost peacefully at the night sky of Hueco Mundo, she bounded over to see what was so interesting.

"I'm moon gazing," she replied, wrapping one arm around Nel's body in case Bawabawa made any abrupt movements to prevent her from falling over. She needed something to calm her nerves after revealing a very deep secret.

"Nel does it all the time when going to sleep! It's really pretty!" she told her enthusiastically.

"You're right, Nel-chan." They started talking about random topics Nel brought up. Ichigo cracked a grin when Rika started playing games with Nel. Pesche and Dondochakka quickly joined in the fun. They got quickly engrossed when Rika introduced a variation of janken, or scissors-paper-stone. The winner would point their finger at the loser's face before moving it either up, down, left or right while saying 'Look over there!'. If the loser looked in the same direction, they lost. Otherwise, the janken game would be restarted. To add more incentive for the three Arrancars to enjoy the game further, Rika would allow them to tell her to do one thing as a prize if they won, but nothing too embarrassing.

None of the trio managed to get Rika to look in their pointed directions at all in the ten minutes they played even though each of them had roughly the same amount of Janken wins. Pesche sounded really disappointed with himself, Nel was unaffected by her losses, and Dondochakka burst into tears as he suffered another loss. Rika felt bad for making him cry and stroked his mask gently as she comforted him. He immediately ceased crying and stared at her intently. That was the first time anyone was so nice to him. His mask hid it, but he was sure he was blushing. He could feel his imaginary heart beating hard as he no longer had a real heart. When Pesche snapped him out of his daze, he seemed to get a renewed sense of determination. He called Pesche and Nel for a secret discussion before he went for another round. When he finally got a Janken win, the trio's plan went into action.

"Hey, Rika!" Nel called her, standing a bit to Rika's right so she had to turn her head to look at her.

"Yes Nel-chan?" Rika asked, completely missing Dondochakka pointing his finger to the left, and she had to turn her head in that direction to look at Nel at the same time he pointed.

"Yes! I won!" Dondochakka cheered happily as he did a small dance to celebrate.

"It appears you were tricked, Kurosaki-san," Ishida commented, having watched them for a while.

"It wasn't fair that it was a trick, but a loss is a loss..." Rika sighed, admitting defeat despite the way she lost. "As promised, what do you want me to do?" Dondochakka stopped his dancing and then sat down in front of her in a formal manner, confusing the girl.

"Um..." he hesitated in voicing his request.

"Is there something wrong, Dondochakka?" she asked, getting worried for the clumsy big guy.

"Uh..."

"Yes...?"

"Can you be my wife?" Everything went dead silent other than the sound of Bawabawa crawling through the sand as everyone stared at them. Ichigo soon turned to look forward again to distract himself, pretending he never heard that.

"Eh?" Rika was taken aback by his request, her face red with shocked embarrassment.

"I see! We can get a sister in our family! Good choice, Dondochakka!" Pesche appeared to have totally missed the implication.

"Oh! Rika will be my big sister!" Nel was clearly too young to even get it.

"Uh... Um... Well, I..." Rika started spluttering gibberish, having been caught way off-guard. The trio started crowding around her, pleading, begging, and confessing to her to join their small family. With the way some of their sentences were phrased, her face turned cherry-red as her embarrassment rose.

"Hey, Dondochakka," Ichigo called for biggest member of the trio. His back was still facing them as he looked towards the direction of Las Noches. He was not going to ignore it any further when he heard some of the things being spewed out of their mouths.

"What is it, aniki?" Dondochakka had considered himself already married to Rika who had not given him an answer at all, calling Ichigo his brother. Everyone turned to face Ichigo, curious as to what he would say in this situation. Ichigo rested his face in the palm of his hand, seemingly sighing into it.

**"You have a death wish, punk? You wanna die that badly?" **Ichigo turned his head a little to the side to look behind him. Dondochakka froze in absolute fear as he saw what looked like a Hollow mask on his face as he was stared down by gold-black eyes. He only saw a small portion, but he got the point.

"No, aniki! I'm sorry, aniki!" Dondochakka started prostrating to Ichigo.

**"Do _not _call me aniki. You are _not _married to Rika. Not now, not ever. If you don't get it..." **With just a simple gesture of glaring even harder, Dondochakka was reduced to tears as he begged for forgiveness and immediately retracted his request and forgoing it entirely. Ichigo turned his head back to the front as he dismissed his mask. He no longer felt tired when he used his Hollow mask while in Shikai, so he was able to use it for 'playing' without any repercussions.

Regardless, playtime was officially over. They had arrived at the wall of Las Noches. After a short inspection by Rukia and confirming it was not made of Sekki-Seki, Ichigo and Renji blasted a hole in the wall. The rescue mission for Inoue was now underway.

**Author's Note: As Ichigo's group makes their way to Las Noches, Aizen holds the meeting to inform the Espada of their presence. Nnoitra mocks Yammy and Grimmjow over the wounds inflicted by the supposedly weak Rika. Like Grimmjow before him, he does not believe that she is able to completely bypass Hierro with her Shikai.**

**Ichigo's group soon meets up with Nel and her brothers and Nel gets quickly attached to the Kurosaki siblings. When they get attacked by Runuganga, Rukia and Renji come to the rescue. Rika and Rukia almost get into another bitter disagreement but Ichigo breaks it up by telling Rukia to try and look it at from his sister's angle.**

**Ishida pressures Rika into spilling her Zanpakutou secrets after coming to the same conclusions Urahara did concerning her Zanpakutou abilities. She resists at first due a bound promise to Yukianesa but relents after the Zanpakutou spirit notes the danger in hiding it from her allies any further.**

**The next chapter will be the Las Noches invasion. Look forward to seeing the changes Rika brings about as she joins Ichigo in his rescue mission.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	51. Enter The Storm Baron

After breaking down the wall of Las Noches, everyone proceeded to rush through the open passageway to get deeper into the fortress. Ichigo opted to leave Nel and her group behind, but were forced to bring her along when she stubbornly followed them in and fell down a hole that ultimately led to another area. Following the darker path, Renji made an embarrassing display of kidou to light up the area. As they walked, Dondochakka spotted something shiny, breaking away to check it out. Once again, they were forced to follow him as he led them to a door. Ishida inspected it, confirming that the door was made of a different material than the rest of the area and beyond the door would be the newer building. They would be entering a building that would be in use.

Before he could go on to give words of caution, Ichigo busted the door down. Behind it was a staircase and another door. He decided to smash through all of them and force their way forward. When they finally arrived at a more stable-looking area, there were five paths in front of them. Before they could decide which way to go, a humongous blast of reiatsu washed over the area, telling the group that they had been detected. Ichigo warned Nel to really not follow them further on as they were likely to be unable to withstand the reiatsu ahead.

Rukia suggested everyone split up and go down each path, but Ichigo argued that they were up against the Espada and sticking together was way safer. Renji quickly told him to drop it, saying it was insulting to a warrior when a fellow warrior worried about protecting them on the battlefield. Rukia called Ichigo out by saying that it was not like him to be worrying about her. She could take care of herself and she did not come to Hueco Mundo to be protected by him. Convinced, he agreed to splitting up.

Renji then said he had something that would bring them good luck. It was a ceremony that the Gotei 13 used to do before heading into a big battle. Everyone placed their hands on his as he performed the ceremony. Once it was all said and done, everyone went off into separate paths. Being the odd one out, Rika decided to follow her brother. They would undoubtedly work best together. As they ran down the path, both siblings soon heard a third set of footsteps and looked back. To their horror, it was Nel chasing after them and crying out their names. They were not using Shunpo to run but she was fast if she could catch up to them that quickly.

"Nel! What're you doing here! Go back!" Ichigo told her.

"I-I-I wanted to see you, I-Itsygo!" Nel wept. "Meanie!"

"You little pest! Damn!" Ichigo stopped and steadied himself as if he was going to catch a thrown ball as she jumped at him. "Okay, come on! I'll do a catch and release!"

"Super speed!" The next thing he knew, he was being headbutted in the stomach and tumbled head-over-heels with Nel attached to him like a leech. "I missed you, Itsygo! I missed you!"

"Y-You little...!" he groaned as he sat up. "Sheesh, there's no getting away from you! Stop crying! Go play with Rika!" he hurriedly pushed the responsibility of caring for Nel to Rika.

"Eh?" Rika blinked stupidly as Nel latched on to her and started bawling into her shihakushou. "Nel-chan, what happened to the others?"

"Ah! I left Bawabawa outside. He has to eat sand to live," Nel answered happily, immediately recovering from her crying fit.

"What about your brothers?"

"You mean Dondochakka and Pesche! I bet they're right behind me!" she pointed behind and everyone saw a very empty hallway. "Oh no! They're lost! Dondochakka and Pesche are lost! This is terrible! What should we do? Where? Where are they?" she started screaming when she did not see her brothers.

"Actually, I think you're the one who's lost," Ichigo muttered as he picked himself up. The moment he did, a very brief surge of reiatsu caught the siblings' attention as they looked upwards at the horizontal pillars hanging above them.

"What's wrong, Rika?" Nel asked, unable to sense anything. Rika quickly hushed her as Ichigo called out to the person hiding.

"I know you're hiding over there! Now show yourself!" Ichigo yelled when no response was made. One of pillars broke in half as they spotted someone speeding away on top of them. "Damn! You're not getting away!"

"Who said I was running?" The person, a man, said. Seconds after he said that, he misjudged his footing and crashed into the ground, causing all three intruders to gawk at his carelessness.

"Um, hey? Are you okay?" Ichigo called out, unsure if this guy was really worth worrying about. For some weird reason, an unnatural amount of dust was clouding his figure. All three were alarmed when his hand popped out from the dust and a finger pointed at them as he made a weird shout. As his nonsensical shouting went on, they could see him doing weird postures behind the cover of dust. They wore exasperated looks on their faces as he started choking on the dust and cleared it away before striking a final pose. When he heard no response, he peeked open an eye to see their unimpressed faces.

"Wait a second!" he cried out, appalled by the lack of excitement and pointing an accusing finger at them. "What're you making that face for?"

"Well, you know..." Ichigo tried to explain.

"What're you making that face for? What're you making that face for?" the Arrancar started waving his finger frantically.

"Shut up. Quit saying the same thing over and over," he was so exasperated that he could not muster the usual fire behind his admonishments.

"You just bore witness to the great Dordonii's graceful entrance scene!"

"Graceful? Didn't you just trip?"

"How can you act so calm after watching such a performance?"

"We're not acting. What you see is what you get."

"And you, you little brat! At least look at me!" Nel was so exasperated her eyes had rolled halfway back. "Oh well, whatever," Dordonii turned a little serious. "I'll just have to accept that our tastes are different. It hardly matters since you're about to be killed." He struck another pose and announced himself. "Now, prepare yourselves, Shinigami! I, Dordonii-sama, Arrancar Ciento Tres, will crush you!"

"You're a celery tray?" Spanish was not one of the languages Ichigo was proficient in.

"No, nii-san. I think he said he was Cien..." Spanish was lost on Rika as well. How exactly were they supposed to know another language so suddenly? Heck, they did not even know what Hueco Mundo and Las Noches actually meant! At least they were names, so it was somewhat easier to remember.

"No, you fools! It has nothing to do with food! Why do you keep interrupting me?" Dordonii screamed at them. "Ciento Tres means 103! I'm Arrancar No. 103!" he translated the term he said into Japanese.

"103? That's a pretty high number, isn't it?" Rika voiced out her surprise.

"Uh-huh," Nel agreed from her shoulder.

"Didn't you say that they're only supposed to have two digit numbers, Nel-chan?"

"Yep. They're supposed to be two numbers. I never heard of someone with three."

"Maybe Aizen has created over a hundred Arrancars already?"

"Hey! What are you two whispering about?" Dordonii interrupted them, making them turn to face him with looks of exasperation. "Don't look so exasperated!"

"You seem kinda, well, really weak," Ichigo told him bluntly.

"Excuse me? Why don't you find out whether or not I'm weak? You'll pay for that comment, nino! See my greatness and let your jaw drop in amazement!" He performed various weird movements before jumping to kick Ichigo. It was a very slow move, so Ichigo had no problems sidestepping it. Seeing an opening, he slashed out with the still wrapped Zangetsu, intending to just bat him away and move on. Unfortunately, it was dodged by the same weird movements.

"Quit moving like that!" Ichigo was becoming greatly annoyed by Dordonii who taunted him by hopping in place with one leg and laughing at him. "Bastard!" All his swings were being dodged by his weird movements and postures. "Damn! What are you, an octopus?"

"What's wrong, nino? You're not even coming close. And you actually think you've got what it takes to challenge Aizen-sama, you silly goose?" Dordonii taunted even more.

"Shut up!"

"It's pointless, pointless, pointless!" As he spun away with mocking laughter, he tripped on a small stone caused from his earlier crash. He crashed into the wall, causing fissures to form in it and snake towards the pillars above. While Ichigo took to basking over his accident, he failed to notice the cracks at all until rubble started falling around him. When he looked up, a stone the size of his head fell directly on his face, causing Nel to burst out in laughter at him.

"Shut it!" he snapped at her, only to return the laughter when a stone fell on her head. "That's what you get for laughing at me!"

"Nii-san! That was uncalled for!" Rika scolded as Nel clutched her head in pain and started whimpering. Getting worried, he rushed over to check if anything was wrong.

"Gotcha!" Nel raised her head with a big smile on her face. "It hit my mask, so it didn't hurt at all! Not at all!"

"Nel-chan, you shouldn't make us worry like that. It's bad to play pranks like this," Rika had completely gotten into her 'mother-hen' mode. Apparently it was not the right time for that, as another stone came crashing down on her head. "Ouch..." she groaned as she rubbed the very sore bump on her head. Although no-one laughed at her from the outside, Yukianesa was giggling madly inside her soul. "Stop laughing, Yukianesa! It isn't funny!" she hissed as quietly as she could.

"You're pretty good, nino," Dordonii gave a small measure of praise. "But I've seen how you move. At your level, you won't even..."

"I was actually worried!" Ichigo gave a very wrong response. Dordonii looked at Ichigo to see him arguing with Nel about making fun of people.

"You shouldn't make fun of people, Itsygo!" Nel shouted at him.

"Why is it my fault?"

"Technically, you started it, nii-san," Rika took Nel's side.

"And why is that?" he demanded.

"Listen to me!" Dordonii yelled, causing everyone to remember that he was still around.

"Dude, you're still alive?" Ichigo sounded disappointed by his presence.

"That's too bad," Nel agreed.

"How in the world did you two come to believe he would die from tripping on a stone?" Rika sweatdropped as she muttered under her breath.

"Shut up! A little rock could never kill me!" Dordonii snapped.

"Look, why don't you stop this and just let us through?" Ichigo sighed. They really had no time to play with this goon. "We're in a hurry."

"That's not going to happen," he said firmly. "Besides, nino, you haven't even landed one hit on me. Who do you think you are, anyways? You're ticking me off!"

"There's no helping it," Ichigo finally decided to unwrap Zangetsu as Dordonii moved in for a second assault. "I'll fight for real this time." When he swung, he was surprised that he missed and was wounded on his arm. "No way!" he exclaimed when he registered the hit. Realizing he was getting too careless, he backed off and fired a Getsuga Tenshou. To his shock, it was easily banished by a backward kick from Dordonii.

"My, my. Didn't your mom ever teach you not to judge a book by its cover, nino?" Dordonii chided him like he was a little misbehaving boy. When he was sure he got everyone's attention, he began speaking. "We are called the Privaron Espada."

"The... what?" the term was lost on Ichigo.

"You didn't hear me? Privaron Espada," he repeated. "It means 'one who lost his place as an Espada'."

"That means...!" Rika gasped in shock.

"Yes. It is exactly as you think it is, bebe. To put it another way, anyone with a three digit number, like me, used to be an Espada. We're the next most powerful group here besides the current Espada." He paused for a short moment to allow the full force of their predicament to sink in. "Do you understand how strong I am now, nino?" With a surprising burst of speed, Ichigo barely managed to bring Zangetsu up for a guard against a foot slamming down at him. That kick was strong enough to rupture the floor beneath Ichigo's feet.

"What's with his power?" Ichigo asked through gritted teeth. "Bastard!" He just managed to shove Dordonii back before his guard could be broken.

"Be careful, nii-san! He is still fighting around an Espada's level!" Rika warned her brother.

"I got it!" he acknowledged her warning as he ducked a kick. Dordonii dodged his counter effortlessly. "He's faster than before. Wait!" Ichigo rushed forward with a Shunpo to attempt to catch him, but he moved away with a Sonido, surprising Ichigo. "What?"

"Don't tell me you thought that was the extent of my strength!" Dordonii taunted. Ichigo sensed an attack coming from behind and managed to block another kick but was pushed back by the power behind it. Performing an even higher heel drop, Dordonii's kick broke the pillars overhead with no loss of momentum as he crashed into Ichigo whose guard was quickly broken. The heel smashed into the floor, knocking up dust and debris, blinding him. It was more than enough for Dordonii to deliver a heavy kick that sent Ichigo crashing through the wall and into another room. "You shouldn't have to look down to find your footing!" Dordonii told him when he saw Ichigo looking downwards at the lower floor. That provided him with another opportunity to deliver a powerful kick to his abdomen, smashing him into the wall.

"Nii-san!" Rika cried out worriedly as she Shunpo-ed into the makeshift entrance. She turned to Dordonii when she heard him sigh dejectedly.

"Your movements are slow and your defense is weak. You can't even deal with a change in scenery. I can't fight with you!" Dordonii struck a pose as he pointed to Ichigo who was still stuck in the crater on the wall. "This is like fighting with a baby!"

"Nii-san isn't that weak! Don't underestimate him!" Rika came to her brother's defense.

"Of course, bebe. But only if the nino uses his Bankai," Dordonii was perfectly aware that Ichigo was fighting at a level all the Espada would scoff at and spit on. "I won't think badly of him. But he'll never be able to beat me at his current level. Even you know that, bebe. Don't try to hide it." Rika could only look away in shame, knowing it was the truth.

"No..." Ichigo groaned out his answer as he peeled himself free.

"Why?"

"A Privaron Espada isn't a real Espada!"

"That's correct." Although he said it calmly, the slight narrowing of his eyes was proof that Ichigo's words had hit a nerve.

"That's why!" Ichigo dived down with a powerful swing that was held back by Dordonii's Hierro-enhanced leg. "I have to defeat all the Espada!" Raining down powerful blows, he managed to make Dordonii lose his balance despite not wounding him. "I can't just use Bankai against everyone, especially if they're not Espada!" He charged again, but Dordonii had already recovered his footing and defended against the blow. "So I'm going to defeat you without it!"

"Nii-san, you're being too reckless! Didn't you listen to anything he said? He used to be an Espada! He's not an opponent you can just brush aside so easily!" Rika warned her brother to no avail. He was running on his warrior's pride now.

"I see. I understand how you feel," Dordonii mused. "So I'm going to tell you something in return." He reached his arm forward and grabbed Zangetsu's edge without so much as a scratch. "Don't take me lightly," his tone turned a lot more serious. He easily tossed Ichigo to the side and drew his Zanpakutou. **"Whirl, Giralda!"**

"Damn!" The way Dordonii released his Zanpakutou took Ichigo by surprise as cyclones whirled around Dordonii and prevented anyone from seeing him undergo his transformation. "He can release his Zanpakutou without drawing it?" Rika was not surprised at all, having done so herself once.

"What are you doing? Take up your stance!" Dordonii scolded from within his cyclones. Ichigo heeded his warning instinctively as a small one shot towards him, nearly taking off the arm holding Zangetsu. "Here we go, Giralda!" Blue winds began blowing out from the protrusions of his Resurreccion on his legs, creating two large cyclones with bird-like heads jutting out at the front and helping him stay afloat without need to solidify the spirit particles in the air. With a kicking motion, he sent one cyclone bird chasing after Ichigo. Ichigo tried to find an opening but was derailed by the other, leaving him open instead. "I'm not done yet!" With a spinning heel drop, he slammed his foot into Ichigo's abdomen, making him cough up blood as he plummeted downwards. Dordonii Sonido-ed below him and kicked him back up into the air. He went for another heel drop but this time Ichigo withstood the blow to his shoulder. With his momentum suddenly cut off, Dordonii was wide open and he realized that. Fortunately for him, Ichigo had no way to take advantage of it because he could not swing Zangetsu with his sword arm being held down by his leg.

"You son of a bitch!" Ichigo cursed as he shoved the leg away from him, making Dordonii back off. **"Getsuga Tenshou!" **he fired his signature attack, knowing it was hard to get in close. It was easily sidestepped and Dordonii recreated his two cyclone birds and sent one to smash Ichigo into the ground.

"Itsygo... Itsygo!" Nel cried out weakly from her perch on Rika's shoulders, growing increasingly worried after watching Ichigo get pummeled far too much for her liking.

"Done already, nino?" Dordonii asked as he landed in front of Ichigo, breaking into laughter when no response was given.

"Nii-san..." Rika muttered worriedly. Something was wrong with Ichigo. She did not know if she was hallucinating or not, but it was almost as if he had forgotten how to wield his Shikai efficiently. All his moves were sloppy and slow, even to her. The way he was fighting now was a lot worse than when they were in Soul Society to rescue Rukia. "What happened...?"

_"That idiot's gotten too used to his Bankai. Power increase aside, it also increases his speed. He's way too comfortable with that added speed to the point his body is fooled into thinking that his boosted speed is his 'natural' speed. When he's really using his natural speed, look at how sloppy he gets," _Yukianesa deduced easily from the inner world. replying to Rika's question. _"What a pathetic performance," _she scoffed. _"Does he honestly believe he can win with his Shikai alone when it's clearly obvious he's out of practice with it? How disgustingly arrogant. Zangetsu must be a saint for tolerating that kind of behavior. Your brother means well when he says he wants to defeat as many as he can without Bankai. The only problem is he's being stubborn about it to the point he refuses to acknowledge he can't even scratch that buffoon with Shikai."_

Most Shinigamis never realized this, but their Zanpakutous were always stronger and always better than them. Their power varied between themselves, but they were always, without exception, stronger than their Shinigamis. Of course, that comparison excluded anything artificial. Bankai was merely a test, and passing that test did not mean defeat for the Zanpakutou. They merely 'let' them win because they were convinced their Shinigamis were worthy of Bankai. Rika knew and accepted the fact Yukianesa was stronger than her, but she did not know how much stronger. She would never know that she would never, ever surpass her Zanpakutou. Zanpakutous had their own secrets they would never tell their Shinigamis except in the most dire of situations, and that was only if they, not the Shinigamis, believe so. The secrets they held were ones they were extremely happy to bring to the grave with them.

"Itsygo's gonna die!" Nel cried pitifully, tears pooling up in her eyes. "Rika, do something! Help Itsygo!"

"I got it!" Spurred on by Nel's concern for her brother, prepared to join in the fight.

"Stay right there, Rika! I've got this!" Ichigo yelled out for her to stop. "Don't get in the way!"

"Are you sure, nino? I won't mind the bebe helping you out," Dordonii offered.

"Shut up!"

"Itsygo!" Nel screamed in protest but he paid no heed to her cries. As she grew even more worried, Rika noticed the eye holes of her mask glowing for just a brief moment. For just that instant, she felt Nel's reiatsu surge. Nel herself did not seem aware of it, so Rika decided to file it away for the moment.

"Nel-chan, if things get any worse for nii-san, I'll go in no matter what he says, okay?" Rika assured the distraught girl. "For now, we watch just a little while later."

"O-Okay..." she nodded. As Dordonii continued laughing over the downed Ichigo, the two girls tensed themselves for anything that could seriously hurt Ichigo. For now, they would only watch painfully as he fought in a losing manner on purpose.

**Author's Note: Nothing much to say for this chapter other than a few changes here and there to include Rika and to introduce Dordonii. Yukianesa drops her childish behavior for just a moment to answer Rika's inquiry, proving that she is and will always be a Zanpakutou at her core. Despite her serious answer, she doesn't drop her sarcasm and insults towards Ichigo. I also added my own beliefs about Zanpakutous and their powers when compared to their wielders, not taking into account of Muramasa's meddling, at least not yet.**

**Things will start shifting from canon from the next chapter so you can look forward to that.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	52. Memoirs Of A Baron

As Ichigo continued to get pummeled and taking several heavy hits, Dordonii continued to pester him to release his Bankai.

"Come on! Come on, come on, come on! Use your Bankai, nino! Otherwise, you'll die!" Dordonii told him as one of the cyclone birds smashed Ichigo into the floor. "You're trying to fight me and conserve your reiryoku at the same time?" He sent the other bird charging at Ichigo who blocked it but was still pushed back. "I can't fathom why you'd even consider such a plan. It's ridiculous!" The bird eventually overcame his defense and held him in between its beaks. "You're being thickheaded, nino. Use your Bankai. I want to see you at full strength." Ichigo only brought Zangetsu up to his chest horizontally.

**"Getsuga... Tenshou!" **he released his attack without actually swinging the blade, making the crescent wave explode at short range rather than being sent flying. Dordonii was mildly impressed as he withdrew the cyclone as Ichigo took a short reprieve.

"Not bad, I must admit," Dordonii inspected the headless cyclone bird. "But, you understand now, don't you? There's no way you can win in your current state."

"That's what you think," Ichigo retorted.

"I don't think anything," Dordonii replied, reforming the head of the cyclone bird. "I stated a fact!" With a kick, he sent the two birds charging at Ichigo. He tried to escape but was quickly outmaneuvered by the two birds. He quickly escaped with another short ranged Getsuga Tenshou, panting hard as he was being pushed. He managed to detect Dordonii coming in for a kick behind him.

"The same thing..." he whirled around to counter, but was instead blocked.

"Will work twice!" Dordonii finished his sentence for him by Sonido-ing behind him again and kicking him. He grabbed a fistful of the shihakushou, holding Ichigo up and pulling him closer. "And I'll keep this up until you decide to use it. This is tough on me, too. Well, it's annoying, at least. I want to see your Bankai. But if you keep holding back," he let go to deliver a kick to his gut. "Nino." A kick to the side of his face. "You'll die!" A kick that sent him flying and crashing into the wall. "And all your efforts will have been for nothing!" Two cyclone birds slammed into where he crashed, making Ichigo yell out in pain.

"Nii-san!"

"Itsygo!" Both girls cried out for him. The dust cleared to show the two birds holding a limp Ichigo by his arms.

"Those bebes up there are rather worried about you," Dordonii said as both girls screamed out for Ichigo. "Time for your Bankai yet, nino?" Ichigo growled as he pointed Zangetsu forward, the stance he used to unleash Bankai. The birds moved with his arms to allow him to do so. Dordonii's face lit up, expecting a Bankai. He was very surprised when Ichigo used Shunpo to escape the birds instead and slammed Zangetsu down on him. He raised his arm to block as sparks flew from the Hierro guarding against the edge of his Zanpakutou.

**"Getsuga-!"**

"I told you not to insult me, nino!" Dordonii roughly shoved Ichigo back with a wave of his arm.

"Damn it!" His one chance to score a pointblank hit was now ruined. He was not fast enough.

"Naughty children..." Dordonii flicked his arms around rapidly before making a pentagon with his index and pinky fingers. "...have to be punished!" Ichigo and the two spectators could tell what was coming up next: a Cero.

"Rika! Take me down to Itsygo!" Nel suddenly told Rika. "I know how to help Itsygo!" Trusting the child Arrancar, Rika hurriedly used her Shunpo to get next to Ichigo just before the Cero connected with him. Ichigo screwed his eyes shut, expecting pain to wash over his entire body. When he felt somebody catch him from behind, he snapped his eyes open to see Nel holding back the Cero and Rika halting his flight. At a closer look, the siblings could see that Nel was actually consuming the Cero. When she was done with it, she was holding her mouth shut as it emitted smoke like a fire was burning inside it.

"Hey, Nel, are you okay?" Ichigo asked as the smoke worried him. Nel was unable to hold the Cero in her mouth and puked it out, shooting it back to Dordonii. Caught very off-guard by the unorthodox reflection, he was hit by his own Cero.

"Don't... be mean... to Itsygo!" Nel wheezed as she took in huge gulps of air. Only Rika noticed the Bala shot in retaliation and it was aimed at Nel.

"Nel-chan, look out!" Rika realized there was no time to grab her and Shunpo away safely, but she could not afford to hesitate. She quickly grabbed Nel and immediately turned around, protecting her from the Bala. She gasped painfully as agony made itself known on her back, nearly making her fall over. However, she managed to get into a crouching position to prevent falling on Nel.

"Rika!" Ichigo cried out as the Bala made a loud boom on impact with her back.

"I don't know who you are, bebe," they heard Dordonii speak. "But you're something else. I'm amazed that you could reflect my Cero, especially in my released state. But, your mischief-making went a bit too far, didn't it?" With a heavy kick, he sent a cyclone bird at Nel. "Disappear!" Rika was still reeling from the hit, and Ichigo was forced to use Bankai to protect her successfully, cutting the bird clean in two as well as giving a slash wound to Dordonii's shoulder.

"If you wanna see it that badly, I guess I'll show you," Ichigo spoke with a cold anger as he stood protectively over his sister. "The wait's over. This is my Bankai."

"I see," Dordonii grinned viciously in anticipation. "I've been looking forward to this, nino."

"Nii-san..." Rika was glad her brother finally decided to take things seriously, though she was prepared to shelter Nel from more attacks.

"Sorry, Rika," he apologized. "I made you suffer because I was being stubborn over something so stupid." She smiled, happy that he recognized his mistake. "'If I'm going to fight the Espada on equal footing, I can't use my Bankai on anyone else'. I decided that before we came here. I'm so dumb."

"Are you sure?" Dordonii questioned. "You set up your own guidelines for how to fight. Anyone who wishes to become strong has to do that. I thought it was wonderful." Rika secretly agreed with him. Her guidelines for fighting was to limit her usage of Yukikaze to the absolute minimum. She figured the rate of failure would only increase if she used it continuously as it was not something that could be used as openly as her other techniques.

"It's not important enough to let my family and friends get hurt over it," Ichigo replied.

"So your goal isn't to become stronger, then? Strength is just a means to protect your friends? You're so kind, nino. You remind me of the Holy Mother," Dordonii complimented. "But, you can become even stronger. I know about your ability to become a Hollow." Ichigo was visibly shocked that he knew that. "We've got records of all your fights in the Living World. Supposedly this 'Hollowfication' gives you an explosive burst of speed and strength. Use that power!" He sent a cyclone bird to attack, but it was stopped by Ichigo blocking with only one arm and not even budging. It was then slashed in two by a Getsuga Tenshou. "Very nice. Your reiatsu is impressive. However..." Dordonii Sonido-ed a short distance away and behind Ichigo. "I've already told you I want to see you at full strength!" A cyclone bird that came from seemingly nowhere slammed into Ichigo, but it was stopped by him just as easily as the previous bird. "I'll do whatever it takes, nino!" Ichigo's eyes widened as he noticed too late that the bird was just a distraction for Dordonii to target Rika.

By then, Rika had already recovered and Shunpo-ed away from Dordonii. He quickly caught up to her and delivered a kick that was deliberately aimed at Nel. Once again, Rika had no choice but to cover for Nel, taking the hit once again in the back. Sharp pain burned through the entire length of her spine as blood found its way out of her mouth as she let out a short scream of pain.

"Rika!" Nel cried worriedly.

"Bastard!" Ichigo quickly destroyed the cyclone bird and rushed to Rika's defense again, making Dordonii back away from them.

"What's wrong? Are you angry, nino?" Dordonii asked casually. "What's there to be mad about? Your goal is to protect your friends and mine is to defeat you when you're at full strength. In order to accomplish my goal, I have to target the bebes instead of you. That's all there is to it."

"Don't you have any shame?" Ichigo snarled.

"I do! I'm ashamed that I haven't been able to get my opponent to fight with everything he has!" Nearly a dozen cyclone birds formed around Dordonii. "There's nothing more embarrassing than that, nino."

As the siblings stared at Dordonii, something about him just seemed wrong to Rika. When she took his kick, she noticed the lack of malice from Dordonii. It was almost like he never wanted to attack them in the first place. He only did that because he wanted Ichigo at full power, nothing more. Before she met Nel, she thought all Arrancars, and Hollows by extension, were malicious beings that only desired power and destruction. Inner Hollows such as Hollow Ichigo did not count to her. He was special despite having the same destructive tendencies. After meeting Nel though, she began seeing them in a different light. Remembering what Toushirou described about Arrancars being Hollows who had obtained Shinigami powers, she began seeing Arrancars not as 'Hollows', but as 'People'. They had regained their reasoning and rationality, or at least varying portions of it. She might have disregarded Dordonii as just another enemy if not for Nel. Now, she found herself unwilling to see a man like Dordonii die. She felt that at the core, he was really not that bad a person. Yes, person.

"Fine," she heard Ichigo say. "Rika, back up a little bit. I won't let a single shard of reiatsu pass by me."

"Nii-san, spare him. Please don't kill him," she said as she took a few steps back. He nodded sharply before focusing his Hollow reiatsu to form his mask. With a clawing motion across his face, the mask appeared as the heavy and dense reiatsu washed over the area. Rather than be intimidated by it, Dordonii laughed out loud with crazed glee.

"Wonderful! What wonderful reiatsu! I never expected I'd be able to fight against such a wonderful opponent, nino!" Dordonii yelled in excitement. "Now, let's go at it with our full power, nino!" The instant he took up a stance, he was already given a very deep and fatal slash by Ichigo. "What... happened?" he mumbled as he started losing consciousness.

"I told you it would only be for a second," Ichigo said as he dismissed his mask.

"How... regrettable." That was his last statement before blacking out. He did not know how long he was out, but he was awoken when he felt something drip on his face. He opened his eyes just in time to see Nel pouring a huge amount of drool on his face. Fully awake at that revelation, he let out a shrill scream of horror and disgust. "What? What the hell are you doing?" he quickly backpedaled away from Nel.

"I'm drooling on you," Nel answered with a happy look on her face as drool continued dripping from her mouth.

"I already figured that out! Why the hell are you covering me in spit?" he demanded as he pressed his forehead against hers in a show of anger.

"Quiet down. What're you so upset about, Don Panini?" Ichigo utterly botched his name as he rested Tensa Zangetsu loosely on his shoulder.

"I'm Dordonii! Why're you calling me that tasty-sounding name?"

"I'm really sorry, Dordonii-san. Nii-san isn't particularly good at remembering names," Rika apologized sheepishly on her brother's behalf. "It's not strong, but Nel-chan's saliva has healing abilities," Nel giggled happily as she patted her head affectionately.

"That's right! That's why I do this!" She jabbed her hand into her mouth and started disturbing her uvula, causing her to vomit.

"What are you doing?" Dordonii screeched.

"It's drool!"

"That's not drool! That's vomit!" he held her back with a hand to keep her away from him.

"When I fondle my throat penis, a bunch of drool come out."

"That's vomit! And a lady shouldn't say things like 'penis'!"

"Gonna puke," Nel put her hands in front of her mouth to hold back the vomit. Dordonii was horrified but was too injured to escape from being puked on.

"I've lost. Completely and decisively," Dordonii admitted defeat after all the chaos died down. He was lying flat on his back, staring upwards at the ceiling. "My body was filled with power, and my heart was filled with the will to win. I truly believed that I was ready for you, that I could endure any attack you tried and counter it. I never let my guard down. I just... couldn't see it coming. You're strong, nino."

"I wouldn't say that," Ichigo looked away, almost as if in regret.

"I wanted to be an Espada again. The Espada are Aizen-dono's faithful servants. Aizen-dono probably doesn't even consider the Espada as his weapons. I know that. But, those who have been at the top can never forget the view. It felt so wonderful there. I thought that if I could defeat you at your full power, Aizen-dono would recognize my strength and I could return to my place as an Espada. That's why I forced you to transform into a Hollow." Dordonii tried to reach for his Zanpakutou at his side but a glance told him Rika would take it away from him before he could draw his sword. Releasing a heavy sigh, he gave up. "Go on ahead, nino. I have been defeated. I have no right to stop you now."

"You can go first, nii-san. I need to talk with Dordonii-san," Rika told Ichigo, passing Nel over to him.

"Don't take too long," he cautioned before he ran down the hallway.

"Why are you still here, bebe?" Dordonii asked, perplexed by her actions.

"I... do not wish for you to die, Dordonii-san," Rika admitted. Dordonii looked straight into her eyes, and saw conflict, hurt and a desire to understand him in them.

"You shouldn't look at an enemy with those eyes, bebe. Many would feel insulted by it."

"I can't help it. I believe... that you're a nice person, Dordonii-san. That's why..." she tossed him his Zanpakutou. "I won't let these people take your life." Wiping her conflicted emotions away for the moment, she stared at a seemingly empty patch of room. Dordonii looked at it as well, just before many skull-headed humanoids, only one having bull horns, appeared in that area.

"Hello there, Exequias," Dordonii greeted them casually as he stood up, brushing away imaginary dust from his ripped and battle-torn uniform.

"We have orders to subdue the invaders," the bull-horned one spoke, apparent the leader.

"Whose orders?"

"I cannot say."

"I assume you'd like to get this bebe and get past me?"

"You are just barely recovered. You shouldn't be able to release your Zanpakutou. Surely you don't believe you stand a chance against us in such a state." All of the Exequias drew their swords.

"Watch your mouth, jovenzuelo!" Dordonii raised his voice in challenge. Accepting his challenge, the Exequias charged the duo, intending to eliminate the injured Privaron Espada and capture Rika. "I'm grateful to your brother," he said to Rika, catching her attention. "This is the least I can do to thank him!" He started charging to meet the Exequias head-on, Rika quickly joining in to support him. Together they fended off the masses of skull heads, but it was still not easy with Dordonii getting even more wounds and his Zanpakutou breaking piece by piece.

"No! I won't lose you here! **Play, Yukianesa!" **Rika released her Zanpakutou and started fighting harder. The skull heads were not strong but they had overwhelming numbers. They still provided reiatsu for her to absorb, and was often using her Koori no Ame to keep them away from Dordonii. Eventually, both of them were encased in a makeshift ice barrier formed by various uses of her technique. Dordonii fell to his knees, his old wounds reopening and bleeding heavily along with new ones and a broken Zanpakutou. "Are you alright, Dordonii-san?" Rika went to his side to check on him, ignoring the sounds of the Exequias chipping away at the ice barrier.

"...Why are you defending me? My strength has deteriorated, bebe. Perhaps even you could have defeated me," Dordonii told her.

"That doesn't matter! We'll get through this and you'll live! If you die now, you won't have another chance to redeem yourself anymore!" Rika tried to stop him from losing his will.

"The other people here aren't as kind as I am. You would not be treating me like this if you did not know that."

"Yes... That is why I won't let you die here. Don't give up, Dordonii-san."

"...I won't make it, bebe. My wounds are too numerous. Leave me be."

"NO! I REFUSE!" Their conversation was cut short by a section of the ice barrier shattering completely. Taking the opportunity to get more room, they quickly dashed out from the opening and cut down the skulls that were about to enter. Their numbers were down to less than a quarter now, but the leader did not seem worried at all.

"Why do you defend your enemy?" he questioned.

"That is none of your business," Rika snapped, her anger reflected in the shine of Yukianesa's edge as she easily took down the rest of the skulls attacking her. "I am keeping this man alive."

"What absurdity."

"Call it what you want. You won't beat us."

"Hmph. You believe that defeating my underlings will bring you victory. Perhaps this will change your decision. **Grow, Arbol." **After his release, there were branches wrapped around his waist and roots grew below him, keeping him suspended in mid-air. From those roots, skulls started growing on them. She recognized the skulls as those belonging to his underlings.

"Don't tell me..."

"Now do you understand? I can grow an infinite number of my underlings. You do not stand a chance." As the skulls grew to the appropriate size, their bodies automatically formed and soon they were complete and charging at Rika and Dordonii. The underlings lacked fighting ability and was easily killed by her, but it was soon clear that majority of them were targeting the severely wounded Privaron Espada.

"Leave him alone!" Rika yelled in rage as she hastily fought her way to Dordonii's side. "Don't you have any concern for your allies? Why are you trying to kill him?"

"It is merely my orders. I hold no such petty attachments for anyone."

"Bastard!" She fired a Koori no Ame at him. To her surprise, some of the underlings broke away from Dordonii to cover their leader, more specifically his roots.

"It's useless! Your technique is merely like birds against a shield!"

"Is it really?" she mumbled. The way he defended himself was way too obvious. His roots were the source of his underlings as well as his major weak spot. Blatant defenses such as this would never escape her notice. Quickly cooking up a plan, she returned to cutting down his underlings. All she needed was 'infinite reiatsu' and 'infinite underlings' fit that bill perfectly. As she continued cutting them down, the leader was content to just watch and grow more skulls. At least until her reiatsu blasted in the area without warning. That pressure then immediately tripled in intensity as her reiatsu wrapped itself around her like a veil as she activated her Fubuki no Koromo. **"Koori no Ame!"**

A lot more icicles shot out from her blade this time, and when the underlings covered their leader, the resulting ice crystals were at least twice their previous size. All the defending underlings were frozen in an instant. Rika immediately followed up with a second wave, with no time for him to reproduce more underlings. All his roots were frozen solid, leaving him stuck and helpless where he hung suspended. Her cloak was now gone with the second wave of icicles but before she could close in to finish him...

**"Whirl, Giralda!" **Rika snapped her head back as she saw Dordonii somehow release his broken Zanpakutou. However, due to its broken state and his injured body, he only had a single piece of armor form on one leg, nothing else.

"Dordonii-san, stop! You're overdoing it!" Rika screamed as she stopped in her tracks to stare in horror at him. With a bloodthirsty grin on his face, he formed a cyclone bird and it charged straight towards the Exequias leader. He barely had time to scream before the entire beak ran right through his body and out the back. Blood was splattered everywhere as he gurgled and choked before all his vitality left him for dead. The ice shattered as if knowing it had done its job and the leader fell to the floor in a messy heap with a huge hole in his body that almost separated him in two. Rika took a few moments to scan the area for any enemy reinforcements. Once she was sure there was none, she rushed to Dordonii who had collapsed once again and lying down in his own pool of blood. His broken Zanpakutou laid by his side as he barely clung on to his life. "Dordonii-san, please hang in there!" she pleaded.

"It's too late for me, bebe... You have only wasted your time here..." he wheezed, coughing out blood from his mouth. "I told you I wouldn't make it..."

"Don't speak! You have Arrancar doctors too, right? I'll find them, so hang on!" she told him as she frantically tore off his shirt to make makeshift bandages.

"Enough... Go join your brother... Forget about me..."

"No!"

"This is no place for being kind-hearted. You will only die for it. Don't hesitate to attack your enemy. Don't hesitate to deliver the finishing blow. And for God's sake, don't heal the enemy's injuries, bebe. This is a fight in the battlefield, not an argument in the playground. Leave your soft heart behind. Become the devil itself, bebe. Become strong like an ogre. Become as fierce as a demon. You must learn that the only way to endure cruelty is to become cruel yourself. Otherwise, bebe... you'll die." He was staring almost dreamily at the ceiling until a tap on his skin among the wrappings brought him back. "...You have much to learn about being a warrior, bebe. Why do you cry for your enemy?"

As Rika was wrapping his wounds to stall as much bleeding as possible, tears ran freely down her face. She had bitten her lips to prevent her voice from breaking free and interrupting Dordonii's advice for her. It was advice from a battle-hardened veteran who had not lost his core personality. She would be damned if she did not listen to him! It may have been on a whim or her highly strung emotions at the time, but somewhere in her heart she found Dordonii as someone she looked up to. She saw him as an ideal inspiration for herself. If she had to continue fighting, she wanted to be a warrior just like him.

"You know... You remind of a bebe I once met a very long, long time ago. I can't remember what she looked like anymore... I was the average Hollow back then, and I was out hunting for strong souls," Dordonii started to go off into a storytelling session of his past. "The bebe's soul was strong, and she was so, so small like that bebe that followed you. She could see me and yet she wasn't scared of me. Instead, she cried out to me to help her. To save her. I devoured her parents, I believe, who were punishing her. I left her alive just to scare her, but she ended up following me. I threatened her with death but she clung to me even harder. In the crazy haze of a Hollow mind, I was still able to look in her eyes... and you have those very same eyes, bebe. She recognized that I looked like a monster, but she didn't care. All she cared about... was her belief that I was a nice person. She saw me as a person, just like you, and not just a scary monster."

"She sounds... like a very nice girl..." Rika tried smiling through her tears at Dordonii, but it was just too hard for her to maintain it.

"It was almost ironic that I slaughtered and devoured the very same town she lived in because the townspeople persecuted her as a 'monster' just because she enjoyed riding on my shoulder. They couldn't see me naturally, and only saw her floating. They killed her in fear while I was away killing other Hollows who invaded my 'hunting ground'. Bebe... are you perhaps... that very same bebe I met so very long ago...? Are you perhaps... her reincarnation?"

"I... I don't know... But if I am... I am glad to meet you again, Dordonii-san..." Rika had to clasp a hand over her mouth as her tears fell even faster.

"Ah... That's good to hear... It certainly is nice...to...meet...you...again...bebe..." He reached up to cup her face in his hand in an attempt to comfort the distraught girl before his hand fell, his life having expired.

"Dordonii...-san...?" Rika whispered, not wanting to believe he had finally died. "Dordonii-san!"

_"Master... It pains me to say this so bluntly but... he's dead. Give up. Nothing you do will bring him back," _Yukianesa told her with a lot of hesitation in her voice. However, as her Zanpakutou, it was her duty to help Rika face up to the reality in front of her. _"You have to move on." _Rika only responded with a very loud grief-stricken wail, crying over the dead body of someone she wanted to protect... and failed. It was not entirely her fault, but she could not help but believe it was. She was so distraught she failed to detect an Espada spying at her and broadcasting what he saw to all the other Arrancars in Las Noches. Many scoffed at her actions and many were disgusted, but those that had slightly warmer hearts had better opinions of her, particularly two very high-ranking Espada and their Fraccion.

The only reason that Espada was there was because he was curious about 'the Shinigami that ignores Hierro'. Seeing for himself did not do much good, but he was indeed fascinated by it. Perhaps after taking care of his 'assigned' target, he would hunt her down and absorb her, gaining her abilities and their secrets. It would certainly be a boon to his ever-growing evolution.

**Author's Note: After Ichigo's fight with Dordonii, Rika stays behind because she has conflicting feelings towards Dordonii. Being with Nel has drastically altered her perceptions of Arrancars, and she starts questioning whether Arrancars were people or mindless monsters. She protects Dordonii from the Exequias and defeats them with his aid, but at the cost of his life. He does share a significant part of his past with Rika before he breathes his last breath. Of course, his past is something I made up.**

**Canon is just starting to change and although Dordonii still ultimately dies, his death and the words he leaves behind has a huge impact on Rika. Now that she is away from Ichigo, who will she meet? And who will she fight?**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	53. Rika And The Three Espada

After spending some time to calm herself, Rika made a quick burial for Dordonii and gave him a small prayer before heading down the exit hallway. Just as she did, she detected her brother's reiatsu spike very fast.

"Nii-san's going all out," she whispered as she sensed his Vizard reiatsu. It was the strongest she had felt him go, at least while he was still in control of himself. When he was undergoing his complete Hollowfication, Hollow Ichigo's reiatsu was still higher.

_**"Pathetic. That's all he can drag out of me? What a loser," **_Hollow Ichigo snickered in amusement as he taunted his King despite being in another soul. He would rather help her out over Ichigo any day. She was his property, after all. No-one would have her except for him. He spied Yukianesa pointedly glaring at him as he lounged around on the sofa for the few seconds he was materialized in Rika's soul. She was about to comment on that when Yukianesa informed her he was already gone.

Despite wanting to join her brother, she believed he would be fine and branched away from him once she saw a staircase leading elsewhere. The main objective was to rescue Inoue, not to fight against all the Hollows residing in Las Noches. There were so many hallways and staircases she did not which one led to Inoue. She was not actively trying to make herself be found, so it made it that much harder to locate her. Rika also did not think she was ready to fight another Arrancar so soon just after Dordonii's death, but that was just hopeful thinking on her part.

As she ran, she constantly kept her senses on alert so she could avoid any Arrancars that came her way and to tell which rooms she ran by were occupied or not. She checked all the empty ones, but so far she had no luck. She eventually came across a huge double door, signifying that it was a large room beyond it. It made a loud creak which sounded deafening to her as she peeked inside. Seeing nothing, she opened it all the way, only to gape at what she saw when she stepped in.

_'...Why didn't I sense this guy?' _Rika had to resist letting her jaw drop. The room was indeed huge and spacious, but what really surprised her was the bunch of pillows piled up beside a pillar and the man laying on it. The reason she failed to detect him was because he was fast asleep! She hoped she had not woken him up by the opening of his room. "Sorry for the intrusion... I'll be leaving now..." she whispered an apology and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" a tired voice called out to her, causing her to freeze in place. She craned her neck to look at the man, but he was nowhere to be found. When she turned back, she was suddenly looking at a man's chest. Forcing down a surprised yelp, she leaped back to create some distance. She did not even feel him use his high-speed movement. This man was dangerous. As she drew her Zanpakutou from its sheath, the man merely yawned. "Put that away. I'd really prefer it if we didn't have to fight."

"Eh?" Rika blinked at him, dumbfounded by his request. Just like Dordonii before him, she could not feel any sort of malice from this man. The difference was he had an aura of extreme laziness permeating from him.

"Put it away," he repeated. Though he was not making any aggressive movements, he was clearly not going to let her leave. Rika did as he told without even realizing it. "This is the first time I've seen an enemy actually doing what I say obediently," he commented, a brief look of surprise appearing on his face.

"I'd rather not fight as well," Rika admitted, though she was still on guard.

"That's good. Fighting is just so troublesome," the man yawned again as he stepped forward towards Rika. "Don't be so skittish. I already told you I don't want to fight," he told her when he saw her take a cautious step back.

"Um..." Rika sweatdropped as the man hauled himself back to his pillows. "Is it okay if I leave now...?" she asked awkwardly.

"Go ahead," he waved his hand dismissively. "If you're not going to bother me, that's good enough."

"Thank you...?" she gave him a weird thanks as she proceeded to leave, only to be stopped when a young Arrancar girl was at the door.

"Hey, Sta-" the girl froze in mid-sentence at seeing Rika in front of her. "Who the hell are you?" she snapped, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"Don't mind me! I'm just leaving!" Rika grabbed the girl by her shoulders and switched places with her before quickly taking off.

"Hey, get back here!" the girl demanded.

"Forget it, Lilynette. Let the girl go," the man said from his lazy position.

"Stark?"

"She's the one who cried over an Arrancar. I really don't wanna fight a girl like her."

"She's the one?" Lilynette saw Stark nod from the corner of her eye. "What an idiot. What kind of Shinigami sheds tears over a Hollow?"

"She's human. It doesn't really matter. She's not out here to fight us either way. I''m not going to go to the trouble of picking a fight with her."

"Huh? Have you gone insane, Stark? Aizen-sama warned you about the intruders and you're just going to let her go?"

"He also said to act as if nothing happened, and I am. As far as I'm concerned, I never saw the girl. I can't really bring myself to raise a hand against someone who actually shows concern for a Hollow." Lilynette remained quiet, fully knowing what Stark was talking about. She would never say it out loud, but she too did not really feel the desire to go to arms with her.

Rika continued running, praying to all the gods listening that she had encountered a non-aggressive Arrancar. Her face started paling when the ever present reiatsu of her brother suddenly faded to almost nothing.

"No... Nii-san..." His reiatsu could barely be detected and worst-case scenarios involving Ichigo started flashing in her mind. She made her way to his general direction as fast as she could. This rescue mission was doomed to fail if he was dead. He was the strongest member of the team. Everyone, she most importantly, needed him alive. Her brother came first to her. Inoue could wait. Throwing caution to the wind, she did not bother hiding her presence as she made a mad dash to Ichigo's location.

"So you've come," a quiet but commanding voice caught her attention, making her stop after passing through a few hallways. Snapping her head to the direction of the voice, Rika saw a blonde, dark-skinned woman leaning against the wall with her eyes closed and arms folded underneath her chest. Three other Arrancars, probably her followers, were eyeing Rika with eager looks, probably itching for a fight.

"Oh, look! If it isn't the Shinigami who cried over her enemy!" a woman with heterochromia taunted her.

"How do you know that?" Rika narrowed her eyes, drawing her Zanpakutou to defend herself. This was a fight she could not avoid with peaceful measures.

"One of the Espada has the ability to show everyone here what he sees. You were probably too busy crying to notice you were being spied," the other dark-skinned woman told her, mocking her as well.

"Honestly, how careless of you," the long-haired woman added her own taunt, but Rika refused to get riled. The first few months of high school had more people jeering and abusing her verbally. It would take a lot more than that to make her act irrationally.

"Please let me pass," Rika requested politely. "I need to get somewhere. I'm not here to fight." The three followers burst into laughter when she was done.

"Are you stupid or something? You think you won over everyone here just before you showed some compassion for a Hollow? Get real!" the woman with heterochromia laughed.

"Enough, Apacci, Mila Rose, Sun-Sun," their leader finally spoke up, pushing herself off the wall.

"Yes, Harribel-sama!" they immediately backed away.

"Girl, I can tell you wish to avoid conflict. It is unfortunate that you ran into us. I have nothing against you, but if you wish to pass, do it by force," Harribel told her.

"...Very well. Do I have to go through all of you?" Rika gritted her teeth.

"Just me. I will test you for myself. Are you really sincere in your acts, or is everything a pretense? The three of you, do not interfere."

"A pretense...?" Rika gripped her Zanpakutou harder. "In the short period I've known that man, it was more than enough for me to know that I admired him! My feelings are not a pretense!" With an angry shout, she struck with a heavy swing that Harribel blocked with a mere raise of her arm.

"Show me how sincere they are," she easily brushed it aside.

**"Play, Yukianesa!" **Rika released her Zanpakutou as the bells made a soft jingle. She lashed out with another swing. Harribel was just about to guard with her arm again when the slightest sensation of pain caused by her skin tearing forced her to leap out of the way, resulting in only a flesh wound. It was much better than a deep laceration if she had not moved.

"Harribel-sama!" her three followers cried out in surprise at seeing their esteemed leader get hurt.

"Calm down. A scratch like this is nothing you should be worried about. However, one thing is clear. Her Zanpakutou certainly did bypass my Hierro. It appears Grimmjow and Yammy were not lying after all." Harribel drew her own sword, having gotten proof of Rika's Shikai ability. Still, she made no move to attack Rika. She waited patiently as Rika eyed her warily for any suspicious movements. She eventually made the first move and struck at Harribel wh blocked every hit with ease. "You're not focused. Are you troubled by that disappearing reiatsu? Or did the death of the Privaron affect you that badly?" she easily identified Rika's state of mind.

Rika bit down her retort. Now was not the time. She had a plan to break through without fighting too much, and just needed to accumulate the necessary reiatsu. Harribel was sticking on the defensive, and she could not afford to fight with her preferred style now.

The moment Yukianesa started releasing excess reiatsu, Rika swung as hard as she could to hopefully make Harribel lose at least a little balance. She immediately activated her Fubuki no Koromo, using her temporarily tripled reiatsu to boost her Shunpo as fast as she could make it.

"Good plan, but not good enough," she heard Harribel's voice next to her just as her Shunpo ended. Staring in shock at the woman beside her, she had just barely enough time to raise Yukianesa to guard. The very first attack she had seen her make, and it was already hard enough to knock her back to right where they had started from. "Were you planning to get past me without fighting?" Harribel asked as she Sonido-ed back to her original position.

"I'm just here to help rescue my friend! I'm not here to fight!" Rika told her. Harribel was completely on the dot when she said Rika was troubled. She still had not been able to shake off Dordonii's death completely. Ichigo's fading reiatsu had only made it worse.

"Then you shouldn't have come in the first place. When you barged into Hueco Mundo, you should have already been prepared to fight. A half-hearted resolve like the one you are carrying now will never suffice. You are a compassionate and honest girl, but that's all you are. You will get nowhere if you don't have the power to back yourself up with."

Rika felt indignant and insulted, but she listened closely to what Harribel had said. She could not afford to be so soft-hearted here. Dordonii had mentioned the same thing to her as well. Shaking her head and slapping her cheek with her free hand to refocus herself, she got back to her feet. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to cool her head and harden her resolve. Harribel was patient enough to wait for her. When her Fubuki no Koromo timed out, Rika opened her eyes, her newly hardened resolve reflecting brightly in her brown orbs.

"Good eyes. That's more like it," Harribel offered a small praise as she defended herself from Rika's renewed vigor. She struck harder and faster, but she defended against the blows just as easily as before. As she continued defending, she started analyzing the mechanics behind Rika's Shikai. With minor blows such as these, she failed to detect anything special about the Zanpakutou. It was not until Rika tried to use her Koori no Ame to blind her and make another attempt to escape that she picked up a glimpse of its true power. Coming up with a theory when she failed to detect any decrease in Rika's reiatsu, she sensed her own reiatsu levels and was surprised to see a sizable portion of it gone. Not enough to start affecting her in any way, but it was still gone. "I see. You are indeed a natural enemy to Arrancars."

"What do you mean?" Rika asked, backing off to catch her breath as she still failed to break through.

"Your Zanpakutou... Not only can it create ice that is totally absent of water, but it has the ability to absorb reiatsu whenever it comes into contact with the enemy. Am I correct?" Rika was visibly shocked that she had figured out Yukianesa's secret. "From your reaction, I suppose I am right. A truly frightening Zanpakutou for anyone to face, but it is not impossible to defeat." Now it was Harribel's turn to attack. Seeing her charge, Rika hastily got into a stance to defend herself.

Her blows were hard and fast, and Rika could barely keep up. Harribel was clearly holding back, and Rika knew that. She tried to use her unique guarding style, but the powerful blows rattled her just enough for her to be unable to even make one before Harribel went for another strike. Yukikaze would be her only option of escaping the pressure, but the strain of blocking so many rapid and strong blows overwhelmed her ability to focus her reiatsu.

"Your ability to absorb reiatsu applies to your defense as well. A drawn-out battle would always end in your advantage. It fits you very well, seeing as you can defend yourself better than you attack," Harribel managed to identify all of Rika's strong points. "But as I said before, it is not impossible to defeat." She withdrew her arm for a powerful hit, and Rika saw her chance.

**"Fuyu no Kata!" **Rika called out for her counter technique. It had never failed her... until now. The warning from Yukianesa telling her it was not enough was heard too late. 50% of her total reiatsu could not compare to Harribel's enhanced strike. The Arrancar was just too powerful for her. She should have used 75% instead. The ice cocoon shattered like a glass mirror. Though it did serve to derail a direct hit, the force of the swing was enough to blast her into the wall. Before she could get back up and create some distance, she felt the cold steel of Harribel's sword underneath her chin.

"You lose," Harribel stated plainly, lifting her sword slightly to tilt Rika's head up so their eyes met. "Don't make any suspicious movements. I'll carve your throat out if you do," she warned. She saw utmost disappointment and regret filling up in her eyes. She lowered her eyes just barely to see her let go of her Zanpakutou as her arms went limp.

"I..." she heard Rika squeak, her voice trembling. "...surrender..." Rika slowly raised her hands in defeat as she turned her head away to avoid Harribel's gaze. There was nothing more she could do, and both knew it. It was far too late for Rika to bring out her Hollow mask. She had been about to when Harribel had her sword to her throat. If she tried going for it, Harribel would have gone through with her threat. "I'm sorry, nii-san..." she apologized to her brother even if he could not hear her.

"Hahaha! Look at that pathetic wench! Begging for mercy after being defeated!" Apachi taunted as she laughed cruelly.

"Apacci," Harribel called her name, but it was clearly a warning for her to stop running her mouth.

"F-Forgive me, Harribel-sama!" she immediately apologized.

"Sheathe your blade and come with me, girl. Do anything and I'll kill you where you stand," Harribel gave an order to Rika as she withdrew her sword from her neck, giving her one chance. Rika wisely obeyed the order, sheathing Yukianesa and standing up with a miserable look on her face. When Harribel started walking away, a harsh shove from Mila Rose indicated she should follow. She did so reluctantly, having no choice but to submit to them. Her only consolation was that Ichigo's reiatsu was back to its normal amount and she could detect it clearly again. Did he manage to find Inoue just as his reiatsu started disappearing, or did Inoue manage to escape and save Ichigo?

"Don't space out. What are you doing?" Harribel's stern tone snapped her out of her happy daze.

"I-I'm sorry!" Rika instinctively apologized, even if it was towards as enemy.

"...Hmph. Your eyes may have been opened to the harsh reality during your time here, but you are still so naive," Harribel told her. "...No, perhaps immature would be better. I can see wisdom in you, but you acted poorly to the situation."

"Immature, huh...? Maybe you're right..." Rika chuckled miserably. "Was it wrong of me to see Arrancars as people...?" Harribel spared a glance at Rika, seeing her questioning gaze. "You are a person, right...?" Her eyes pleaded for an answer, any answer.

"...No, you aren't wrong. And I am indeed a 'person'," she gave the girl some credit. "You have your heart in the wrong place. Seeing your enemies as people is best done off the battlefield."

"I know. Dordonii-san told me that. I guess I have another Arrancar as a teacher," Rika joked bitterly. She was rewarded with a punch to her spine. She gritted her teeth as she held back her pained cry.

"Don't get so full of yourself, Shinigami! Don't you dare bring Harribel-sama down to your level!" Mila Rose growled.

"It's fine. Stand down, Mila Rose," Harribel ordered her Fraccion.

"Honestly, can't the both of you ever keep your mouths shut? You got reprimanded by Harribel-sama for it," Sun-Sun stabbed them with words of insults.

"What was that, Sun-Sun? You want a piece of me?" Apacci got into her fellow Fraccion's face.

"Of course not. I don't fancy either of your bodies," she replied, hiding her smirk behind her sleeve like a noble Japanese lady.

"Don't lump me in with her!" Mila Rose snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Apacci. As they broke down into a petty argument, Rika chose to follow Sun-Sun's advice and kept her mouth shut. She simply stared at Harribel's back as she brought them somewhere. Rika would occasionally look around in wonder at how Aizen had created Las Noches such as when they passed an area bathed with artificial sunlight. The detection of Ichigo's reiatsu spiking from Bankai activation brought her back from her wondering mind. Harribel stopped on a high balcony overlooking the sunlight-ed desert where supersonic booms and flashes of black and blue reiatsu could be seen.

"The one with the black reiatsu is your brother?" Harribel questioned.

"Yes," Rika answered, feeling it would be a very bad idea to not cooperate as tolerant as Harribel appeared to be.

"Look there, the atmosphere's becoming destabilized," Apacci pointed to the spot where Ichigo and Grimmjow were fighting.

"Gran Rey Cero... No-one should ever use it inside of Las Noches," Mila Rose stated.

"What? You afraid, Mila Rose?" Apacci taunted.

"As if! You're trembling so badly that I can hear your knees knocking from here, Apacci!" she retorted.

"Say what?"

"You heard me!"

"Stop it, you two," Sun-Sun interjected. "You look weak when you're yelling like that."

"What did you say, Sun-Sun? You bitch!" Both of them snapped at her.

"My, how disgraceful."

"What? Look at me in the eye and-" Their argument was interrupted by a huge blast of displaced air.

"Damn Grimmjow, he's getting way too carried away!" Mila Rose cursed.

"Don't worry about it," Harribel spoke up after a long moment of silence and stepped forward to the edge of the balcony as everyone watched sparks fly from where the combatants clashed. "This battle is being fought by an Espada in his Resurreccion form. It's understandable that you're afraid. This is the most basic, primal type of fear. Remember the feeling." Once she was sure her Fraccion would remain silent, she wondered silently whether Grimmjow was really fighting against a human. Perhaps the sister had some answers to her query. "Girl."

"Yes?" Rika responded.

"I find it hard to believe that a human can have that much reiatsu with such a dense, evil aura about it. I feel as if I'm watching two Espada fight each other. Can you explain how your brother managed to obtain such reiatsu?"

"Nii-san is basically the opposite of an Arrancar. That's enough to understand, right?" As long as she did not give out anything too specific, Rika decided it was fine to tell them small details.

"A Shinigami with Hollow powers?" Harribel got the point in an instant. Rika nodded in confirmation. "I see." That was all she needed to know to understand why.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" a mocking voice called out as a tall, lean man leaped up to the balcony. "I thought I sensed a foreign presence here."

"Nnoitra!" Mila Rose took a step back subconsciously as Nnoitra rested his gigantic double-headed scythe on his shoulders.

"Hey, looks like I hit the jackpot. I was just looking for you, Shinigami woman," his gaze landed on Rika. His eyes had a mix of disdain and a lecherous look in them. Rika frowned and glared back at him. "Don't give me that look! You're pissing me off!"

"...Do you have a problem with me, Arrancar?" Rika uttered spitefully.

"Sure as hell I do! What does a puny, pathetic woman like you think you can accomplish by breaking in here, huh? You think you can get anything done here, being a woman and all?"

"Do you have something against females?" Rika narrowed her eyes at his blatant male chauvinism.

"Sure do! You women don't deserve to be stronger than men! She doesn't deserve to be ranked higher than me!" Nnoitra started included Harribel into the picture. She only closed her eyes, refusing to rise to the taunt.

"I'm pretty sure Aizen would give his ranks based on capability rather than favoritism. Harribel-san is clearly better than you if she is ranked higher."

"Shut your crap, bitch! Don't talk to me as if you stand above me! You are not even worth being on equal ground with me!" Without any sort of provocation, he swung his scythe at her and ignoring his fellow Arrancars in the way. Rika Shunpo-ed away with Harribel and her Fraccion ducked to avoid the blow. "What's the matter? Done already? Go on, run! Run like the pussy you are!"

Having learned her lesson about fighting in tight hallways, Rika chose to run down towards the desert. She did want to get cornered against a wall again. Nnoitra easily caught up with her, playing the part of predator. She looked towards where Ichigo and Grimmjow were fighting, and they were not that far away. She did not want to get embroiled with them while fighting against Nnoitra. Her instincts picked up an attack coming from behind her and she dodged a thrown scythe which he pulled back with the extendable chain protruding from one end of his weapon.

"Bring it out, woman. Show me that Shikai of yours that supposed to ignore Hierro! I'll prove to you that it's nothing more than bullshit!"

"Fine. **Play, Yukianesa," **Rika released her Zanpakutou. "Don't regret it when I cut through that skin of yours."

"Bring it on!"

**Author's Note: Rika branches away from Ichigo as she tries to locate Inoue on her own. Instead, due to her innate horrible luck, she ends up in Stark's room. But because he's lazy as hell and does not want to kill a girl like Rika, he lets her go. She then encounters Harribel in a rush to save Ichigo when she sensed his reiatsu vanishing. She is promptly defeated and forced to surrender because the small hallway prevents her from being blown so far away to make another proper attempt to fight back.**

**Nnoitra pops up to insult and goad Rika into a fight with him, which he gets. However, that is a fight for another time in the future, and it is not the next chapter. I'm running a bit dry on ideas for now, so let's move on to my favorite filler arc. I have an entire plot for this arc already swimming in my head that refuses to be gone!**

*Omake*

"Eh? W-What's going on?" Rika looked around in confusion as the artificial sunlight in Las Noches was shut down and the eternal night sky returned.

"Rika! I've got news from the higher-ups!" Nel came bounding towards her happily. She handed her a slip of paper that read:

**"Due to certain circumstances, I, the most important member of the higher-ups, am forced to delay the upcoming fight of Kurosaki Rika versus Nnoitra Gilga! The number one reason being that I am currently having difficulties penning a proper fight scene for you! Therefore, the Arrancar Arc will be postponed!"**

"What? What kind of reason is this?" Rika gaped at the printed message. "Arc? What is this person talking about?"

"Who knows?" Yukianesa popped up beside her with a mischievous smile. "I'm surprised that you didn't know about this, Master. The entire cast already knew about this."

"Huh? But... I didn't hear anything about this! Explain it to me properly, Yukianesa!" On the other side of the desert, Ichigo was also facing the same problem of not being told about the postponing of his future fights and wondering who the hell printed the message.

"At least I know Rika's in danger! I've got to help her!" Ichigo prepared to Shunpo off to find Rika.

"Wait, Kurosaki-kun! You can't go-" Inoue tried to warn him but it was too late. He ended crashing face first into an invisible barrier separating his half of the desert from the other half where Rika was.

"Screw this shit!" Ichigo cursed as he held the throbbing face.

"So whoever this higher-up person is wants to go to the Zanpakutou Rebellion Arc so he/she can get a better idea of my fight?" Rika summarized, feeling a headache coming up.

"That's right! And just so you know, it will be totally different than in the anime!" Yukianesa stated with a large amount of joy.

"...What anime?" Rika was confused by the sudden term.

"You don't need to know. Anyways, one of the new plots involves us, Master! I am so looking forward to this!"

"And that is?"

"It's a secret! I would love to tell you in detail, but too bad it's rated T."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. But I will say that what we'll be involved in is rated M. Too bad our viewers won't be able to enjoy it as much as I will..." Yukianesa giggled in dark humor.

"Yukianesa, are you talking to me or someone else?" Rika looked around in confusion, seeing nobody around except for them, Nel having left earlier.

"How about a little preview of the never-to-be-seen forbidden scene?" Yukianesa pulled Rika to her height and blew some cold breath on the nape of her neck. Rika flinched and yelped at the sudden cold, but she refused to let her go. With one arm holding her down, Yukianesa pulled down her shihakushou where the robes met, making it loose enough for her to look blatantly into it and see Rika's breasts. She leaned over and licked at where she blew on her neck, causing her to freeze up in sheer shock, embarrassment and humiliation. "Did you enjoy it?" she breathed lustily at Rika's ear as her free hand snaked into her clothes to touch and brush her skin teasingly.

Rika let loose a very loud scream as she ran away from her molester. Of course, she did not know of the invisible barrier as well, and crashed into it face first and knocking herself out cold.

"Ah, she is so easy to tease. How lovable," Yukianesa giggled mischievously before looking straight out the screen and breaking through the fourth wall. "And so the Arrancar Arc comes to a pause! We'll see you again in the Living World to start the Zanpakutou Rebellion Arc!" With a cute smile and a happy wave of her hand, we see a brightly glowing Shikai materializing in her other hand. **"Yukikaze," **she declared with a teasing smirk and slashed the screen in two, cutting off the broadcast as snow crystals faded away into the white background.

*End Omake*

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	54. Twisted Desires

"Master. Wake up, Master," Rika was prodded awake by someone. Opening her eyes sleepily, she found herself neatly tucked in her inner world's cottage bed. Yukianesa was standing beside it, waiting patiently for her.

"What is it, Yuki-chan?" Rika suppressed a yawn.

"Can you hear it? That weird sound?" Yukianesa asked with an unsure frown. Lately, she had been hearing something akin to a distorted noise, almost like a voice. Frankly, it worried her since it was definitely not Hollow Ichigo. All weariness left Rika when she saw the worried look on her Zanpakutou's face. This was the first time she saw her worried about something. She was a very carefree Zanpakutou, and anything that worried her besides Rika's safety, and by extension her own, warranted utmost concern.

"Are you sure it's not onii-san?" Rika suggested, feeling the very small and invisible presence of the piece of Hollow Ichigo she kept with her.

"It's not him for sure," Yukianesa shook her head. "Listen carefully, Master. Can you hear that noise? Anything at all?" Rika closed her eyes to focus, and only the peaceful silence of her inner world could be heard.

"No, nothing," she answered. "What did you hear?"

"It's almost like someone's trying to contact me. The voice is very muffled and distorted, but I'm sure that whatever it is, it is trying to get my attention."

"Do you think it's dangerous?"

"Perhaps. We'll just have to wait and see. I'll let you know if anything major happens."

For the rest of the morning the next day, Yukianesa had nothing to add. She did suggest to ask if something similar had happened with Zangetsu. When she asked Ichigo, he admitted that Zangetsu had indeed brought him into his inner world and asked him about a noise that only he could hear. Worried that it might be a Hollow's doing that targeted their Zanpakutous, the siblings went on patrol for the entire day. It was only that night did they receive some news from Ichigo. When Rika sensed him fighting, she turned around and rushed to his location. When she arrived, someone was leaving via a Senkaimon and Rukia was laid unconscious on the grass.

"What happened to her, nii-san?" Rika asked.

"Some woman dressed in white was chasing Rukia. I drove her off, but the weird thing was she said that Rukia's techniques were her own," Ichigo glared at where the Senkaimon was last seen.

_"...I would rather not believe it, but it was probably Sode no Shirayuki," _Yukianesa sounded shocked that a Zanpakutou would attack their own master. Even with the worst of relationships, they would never attack because it was pointless to do so and also detrimental to themselves as well. An attack such as this would be plausible if the Zanpakutou was suicidal and able to materialize themselves, but then again no Zanpakutou was ever suicidal. All Zanpakutous had this knowledge and would never go against it.

"How do you know this?" Rika was surprised she had an immediate answer.

_"When two Shinigamis fight, we Zanpakutous instinctively know who the other is, even if the Shinigamis have not obtained their Shikai. There are only two individuals that can lay legitimate claim to the same techniques. The Shinigami, and their Zanpakutou." _Rukia regained consciousness just barely to reveal that the identity of her attacker was just as Yukianesa predicted. The siblings brought her back to Urahara's Shop to let Inoue treat her injuries and understand more about the situation.

When Rukia woke up, she explained that an individual named Muramasa made all the Zanpakutous rebel against their masters and no-one was able to release their swords. The Zanpakutous then started wrecking havoc in Soul Society. She had somehow managed to escape to the Living World while fending off Sode no Shirayuki. Urahara quickly surmised that the Zanpakutous were defying their Shinigamis and attacking them and that he had never heard of that happening before. After all, a Zanpakutou's true form resided within their Shinigami.

"What's a Zanpakutou's true form?" Ishida asked, asking the question in the minds of those who were not Shinigamis.

"Zanpakutous have a mind, and a body that controls their powers. Shinigamis are able to grow more powerful by communicating with them," Urahara explained.

"Does Zangetsu and Yukianesa have a different form, too?" Sado asked the Kurosaki siblings.

"Yeah," both of them answered.

"Naturally, my Benihime has one as well!" Urahara jutted in, not letting anyone forget about him.

"Was everyone in Seireitei okay?" Ichigo turned his attention to Rukia, rolling his eyes at the shopkeeper's jovial addition. Rukia shook her head sadly, meaning they were either not okay or she did not know. Yoruichi then entered the room and told them everyone was just fine. The Gotei 13 had not fallen apart yet. She told them everything about her investigation in Soul Society.

It was in shambles. The fighting looked like it was at an end, but there were countless casualties and collapsed buildings. She headed to the 4th Division hoping to find someone who could fill her in. She found everyone stationed at the division's barracks. Soi Fon was in search of the wayward Zanpakutous with all of her Onmitsukidou and Kurotsuchi had begun researching this new phenomenon. For the moment, Ukitake had suggested that the 4th Division barracks be used as the center of communication. They needed to find any Shinigami who could still fight and strengthen the security. Yoruichi was satisfied and returned to the Living World to get Urahara to investigate this Zanpakutou revolution on his side.

"Kurosaki-san, have you noticed anything different with your Zanpakutou?" Urahara asked.

"No, not really," Ichigo shrugged. "Rika might have noticed something though."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. Yukianesa said that lately she had been hearing some sort of noise that only she could hear. She suspects the same thing happened to Zangetsu as well," Rika told Urahara about her Zanpakutou's worries. He nodded briefly as he kept her words in mind.

"Actually, I've read some reports from Soul Society for a while now stating that Shinigamis have been having difficulties with their Zanpakutous," he admitted. "Not that I have any problems with Benihime."

"So basically, the enemy's only controlling Zanpakutous in Soul Society and has no power over Zanpakutous in the Living World?" Ishida summarized.

"Are his powers unable to reach the Living World? Or is there some other reason behind this?" Urahara tossed out some possible situations. "I won't know the answer to that without doing some research first." Yoruichi offered to return to Soul Society the next morning to further investigate. Rukia asked whether Byakuya was safe, but he was the only one of high rank that had not been found yet. Every other captain, except for the missing Captain-Commander, and all the lieutenants had already been accounted for.

"He's fine," Ichigo spoke up. "There's no way he'd die. You know just how strong he is."

"Yeah..." Rukia agreed, hope rising in her thanks to his encouragement, but still she worried.

"Alright everyone. Discussion is over for tonight. You should all return home and wait for Yoruichi-san to get more information tomorrow," Urahara dismissed them. "Except for you, Kurosaki-imouto-san. We still have a bit more discussion to do. Please stay over for tonight."

"You need something with Rika, Urahara-san?" Ichigo asked, his brotherly instincts beginning to rise.

"Yes I do. Kurosaki-imouto-san has an extremely strong connection to her Zanpakutou, and it would be of great help if I can have information straight from her Zanpakutou."

"I'd gladly help," Rika agreed to spend the night at Urahara's Shop and convinced Ichigo to return home. Yukianesa wanted to talk away from Rukia because she did not want her to misunderstand anything that she might take the wrong way, so they shifted to another room with Rika, Urahara and Yoruichi. Once alone, Yukianesa materialized into the outside world and plopped herself on a cushion.

"Besides what we have discussed, is there anything you would like to add?" Urahara asked.

"There is one thing. I'm not too particularly sure, but the power of whoever is causing the Zanpakutous to rebel has perhaps reached me and Zangetsu. I don't know about Benihime, you'd have to ask her yourself," Yukianesa told them, kicking her feet up and down in childish boredom. "I believe it's a voice that is trying to contact us, most likely to turn us against our own masters. At the moment, that voice is very distorted. We should be in no danger for now."

"Hmm... Do you feel anything happening with you or in Kurosaki-san's inner world? Perhaps something odd or suspicious?"

"As far as I can feel, nothing. But I do worry about this, particularly for my master's sake," Yukianesa turned serious eyes towards Rika. "Master, tell me honestly. If this person is able to turn me against you, what will you do if I am trying to end your life? Can you cut me down?"

"Of course I can't! I would never do that to you! Don't say such things, Yukianesa!" Rika slammed her hands on the table. She was extremely scared, and she showed it very clearly.

"That's why I worry for you, Master," she sighed. "You can't even bear the thought of me being your enemy even though the possibility is right there. But don't worry, Master. I swear to you now that no matter what happens to me, my blade will never, ever be used to draw your blood. Even if I am forced to turn against you, I will not attack you. That is my oath to you."

"Thank you, Yukianesa... I love you so much..." The two girls shared a very tight hug before Yukianesa returned to Rika's inner world. Urahara deduced that no more information could be obtained and wished Rika a good night. She only had a brief sleep before Ririn woke her up and told her that Rukia was gone. She hurriedly went to the room where Rukia was last resting in, and her futon was empty. Ichigo was already there and fuming about her reckless actions while still hurt. Apparently, she was too worried about Byakuya and had returned to Soul Society.

"Urahara-san, please open a Senkaimon," Ichigo requested. "I'm going after Rukia."

"Stop right there, Kurosaki-san! It's too dangerous for now to go there now. Just wait until I gather more information," Urahara advised him against it.

"But I can't just abandon Rukia!"

"But..."

"I'll go with nii-san, Urahara-san! I'll make sure he stays out of trouble!" Rika quickly stepped up.

"Let them go, Kisuke. I was planning on leaving in the morning anyway," Yoruichi said with a confident smile. "We might get our work done quicker if the three of us go." With everyone against him, Urahara sighed and agreed to do as they wished. He told them he would get some backup, so they should not overdo themselves. When they arrived at Soul Society, Yoruichi warned them one more time not to overdo it and to retreat if they noticed anything strange from their Zanpakutous. Ichigo assured her Zangetsu would be fine, but she did not believe him for an instant. Zangetsu was special, but only to Ichigo. The same went for everyone else. That was how Zanpakutous were.

Elsewhere, Rukia was facing off with Sode no Shirayuki. The latter explained how up until now, Rukia had free reign over her powers as a Zanpakutou. It was something she permitted, but at the same time also had no choice but to permit its usage.

"You didn't have a choice?" Rukia did not seem to understand what she meant.

"But things are different now," Sode no Shirayuki said as she materialized her Shikai form from her hands. "I am free to use my powers as I please. I'm sure that up until now, you considered my power to be your own. But you were mistaken. In reality, you are incapable of fighting on your own."

"I never thought of it as my own-" Rukia tried to explain but was cut off.

**"Some no mai, Tsukishiro," **Sode no Shirayuki gently waved her sword, and the pillar of ice started forming from beneath Rukia's feet.

"Impossible!" she gasped as she leaped away from the area of effect. "Tsukishiro's ice tower-"

"It's supposed to reach up into the heavens within the area drawn by your sword. Right?" Sode no Shirayuki finished her statement for her, sending another Tsukishiro beneath Rukia's feet just as she landed on a roof. Just as she dodged, she got behind her and with a snowy breath, knocked her to the ground. She retaliated with a Soukatsui, but she protected herself by encasing herself in a pillar of ice. "Are you surprised? You clearly underestimate me. Very well. I will have to correct your way of thinking." As Rukia started running to avoid her attacks, Sode no Shirayuki took advantage of her knowledge of her habits and snuck in a powerful blow. It was blocked, but damage was still dealt as an explosion of snow erupted from where she was standing. Sode no Shirayuki leaped back to the top of a building as she watched her former master catch her breath in disdain.

"I am jealous of a Zanpakutou belonging to a human girl," Sode no Shirayuki abruptly stated.

"A human girl? You don't mean!" Rukia gasped as she stared at her Zanpakutou spirit.

"Yes. The sister of the Substitute Shinigami and her Zanpakutou, Yukianesa," she said, just to cause more hurt to her. "I find it ironic that a human can understand a Zanpakutou better than a Shinigami can. During the short time you clashed swords with her, I could see the joy, the pleasure, the happiness, in Yukianesa. We may not have exchanged words, but I understood. Kurosaki Rika was a girl who viewed her Zanpakutou as her own individual. She understood the fact the powers of her Zanpakutou were not her own. She acknowledged her Zanpakutou as the superior one. She treated her Zanpakutou like family. Kurosaki Rika is an ideal Shinigami for most Zanpakutous. Yukianesa is indeed blessed to have such an understanding Shinigami."

"The only reason for that is her extremely strong connection to her Zanpakutou!" Rukia was pissed, not at Rika, but because she felt she was being accused of being uncaring to her Zanpakutou. She had a hard time contacting Sode no Shirayuki and gaining access to her own inner world. Even after she succeeded the first time, it was still hard to accomplish. She did not have the natural ease Rika had in Jinzen. It was quite unfair to be compared like that, just like how unfair it was to compare her and Ichigo's fighting ability.

"And how do you believe that came about?" Sode no Shirayuki questioned. Rukia merely looked down in shame, already knowing the answer. "Countless hours of spending time with each other, of course. I have seen through your eyes just how close the two of them are. I have seen how she speaks with Yukianesa as though she is constantly standing by her side. When Yukianesa and I first met, somewhere deep inside of me, I wished. How I wished I had a partner like Kurosaki Rika who was able to see me for me, and not just as a Zanpakutou. Without realizing it for a time, jealousy burned inside me. When was the last time you spoke with me? When was the last time you spent time with me? When was the last time you visited me in your inner world? All these questions plagued me. The answers soon made themselves clear to me. It has been years since you last visited, and the first thing you speak of is to ask for the third dance. I was disappointed, and upset. Now, feel them for yourself. **Tsugi no mai, Hakuren."**

It looked like a direct hit, but Sode no Shirayuki soon sensed something was wrong just as a black Getsuga Tenshou was fired out from the icy structure. Rukia was quick to berate Ichigo for coming to Soul Society without knowing the cause of the Zanpakutou rebellion. He told her that he could not just sit around watching from the sidelines. He assured her it was fine. If they did not know what's causing it, they would just have to figure it out.

"Welcome, Substitute Shinigami," Sode no Shirayuki welcomed Ichigo before turning to look to his side. "And Kurosaki Rika," she added just as Rika arrived in a Shunpo. Rika looked at her with mild surprise, not expecting to be welcomed.

"Hello, uh... Sode no Shirayuki-san?" Rika took a guess at her identity.

"Indeed I am. Did you hear that, Kuchiki Rukia? Do you hear the courtesy in her voice?" Rukia could only grit her teeth as she struggled to stand. "Tell me, Kurosaki Rika," she addressed said person. "Is Kuchiki Rukia and I one and the same?"

"No," Rika shook her head. "You are your own person, right?"

"Oh? And how did you come to that conclusion?"

"When I first became a Shinigami, the only thing I was told is that a Zanpakutou is the essence of a Shinigami's power. Before I met Yukianesa, I thought she would be similar to me in some way. When I did, it became very clear to me she was her own person, and had her own personality. Isn't it the same with you?"

"Did you hear that answer, Kuchiki Rukia?" Sode no Shirayuki started taunting Rukia. "Despite knowing less of what a Zanpakutou is, a human girl understands it better than a full-fledged Shinigami such as yourself."

"Way to make things worse, Rika," Ichigo grunted in annoyance at how gullible his sister tended to be from time to time.

"Huh? But I was just answering Shirayuki-san's questions..." Rika replied, not seeing anything wrong in answering someone's question to her.

"Never mind. Protect Rukia for me!" Ichigo made the first advance, and Sode no Shirayuki fired some ice spikes which he dodged with Shunpo. He dodged again and she asked what he was doing. It was clear to everyone he was holding back a lot because he did not want to hurt Rukia's Zanpakutou. He was punished for doing so, but he was still standing strong. Rukia quickly intervened, telling him to back off and let her deal with it. She nearly drove both of the siblings into a panic when she tried to blow both herself and Sode no Shirayuki up in a high-leveled hadou. Fortunately, neither perished in the blast. However, someone made his debut at the end of the confusion. He introduced himself as Muramasa, a Zanpakutou.

"Sode no Shirayuki, please leave things here to me and retreat for now," he told his fellow Zanpakutou. When she left, Ichigo tried to go after her. "Where are you going, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"How do you know my name?" Ichigo asked in surprise.

"That's not important."

"What? What are you?"

"My goal is to free all Zanpakutou from Shinigami control. That is all."

"Oh yeah? Then you're behind all this. Now tell me! Tell me how to turn Rukia's Zanpakutou back to normal!"

"Kurosaki Ichigo, what are Zanpakutou?" Muramasa abruptly changed the subject.

"What?" Muramasa started explaining the origin of Zanpakutous and how the Shinigami can obtain more power by conversing and subsequently beating them into submission. However, he believed that Zanpakutous did not have to live in symbiosis with their Shinigamis. "What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"I mean that Zanpakutous have wills of their own," he said.

"Zanpakutous have wills?"

"Yes. Zanpakutous aren't a part of their Shinigami. We have our own souls. Our souls are just as important as a Shinigami's soul." Ichigo merely remained silent. "You don't believe me? That's what makes you Shinigamis arrogant." He went on to explain how he understood how his fellow Zanpakutous think and could reach out to their souls. Those who commiserate with him took on their true forms. Those that respond to him appeared in this world as a completely different entity from their Shinigamis. That was his power.

"Why are the Zanpakutous listening to you?" Ichigo demanded. Rika remained silent, playing the role of observer. She agreed with Muramasa on some points, and disagreed on others.

"It is their desire, birthed from your oppression," he answered. Rukia tried to deny it, but Muramasa quickly shot her down by saying that Sode no Shirayuki answered to his call. He also revealed that he allowed her to escape to the Living World to lure the Kurosaki siblings here. He would free every last Zanpakutou without exception. Ichigo had heard enough and wanted to the change the location of their fight, but Rika told him she would fight Muramasa first. He tried to protest, but backed down when she pointed out that his more dominant right arm was still recovering from being frozen and that he could take Rukia to the 4th Division faster than she could. He promised to return as fast as he could after he delivered Rukia to the medics. She suggested to change the location as Ichigo had earlier, and Muramasa told her to do as she pleased. As they reappeared elsewhere with Shunpo, she released her Zanpakutou in preparation of an inevitable fight.

"I believe you when you say Zanpakutous have their own wills and souls, but I don't believe they would hate their Shinigamis that much to the point they would kill them," she told him.

"No matter how well or how close the bond between Shinigami and Zanpakutou, you will never understand the feelings hidden inside their souls," Muramasa replied and stuck his open palm at her.

"W-What is that?" Rika was startled as she saw several spiritual threads, alternating between being visible and invisible. She hastily Shunpo-ed backwards as she dodged as many as she could. If any got close while they were visible, she would cut them down.

_"Be careful, Master! That's an attack involving reflection!" _Yukianesa warned her as more threatened to swarm over her.

"A reflection?" It had been so long since it was first mentioned that Rika had forgotten Yukianesa had the capability to produce reflective-based illusions. Yukianesa had never used her illusion powers at all so far, but it made sense that she was able to see through something that was caused by or used reflections. Rika was barely able to see the reflective threads. She guessed that it was only due to Yukianesa's inherent ability that she was able to catch just a glimpse.

"Impressive. I didn't believe you could evade that," Muramasa stated, materializing his Zanpakutou. As they traded a few blows, a look of panic shot across his face as if he just realized something. He quickly backed away and started coughing hard and bleeding from his eyes.

"My reiatsu...!" he wheezed, an expression of anger flashing on his face. He knew he had to take her down as fast as he could. Living away from his master meant he could not afford to waste even a single ounce of reiatsu. Rika was one opponent where he could not take his time with. He had to draw out her Zanpakutou spirit before its abilities hampered his health. He shot out his threads again, hoping to invade her senses. He saw her Shunpo away, and directed them to follow her. From time to time, he could see that the threads got close to her in several instances. It appeared she could not see them all that well. When she suddenly Shunpo-ed towards him, he had almost no time to defend himself. He crashed against a wall upon blocking her powerful strike, but he felt one of his threads enter her before he lost complete control of them. That was more than enough. Victory was his.

Rika's vision suddenly started swimming as if she was looking from underwater. She started to panic as Muramasa was nowhere to be seen. The scenery around her started turning and rotating, causing her to look around wildly for any signs of a sneak attack.

_"Get back!" _Yukianesa warned her, but she reacted too late. Something invisible picked her up, turned her upside down and slammed her onto the floor. _"Master, listen to me! You're in an illusion! Don't pay attention to anything you see! I'll look for you!" _It was a good thing the illusion Rika was under did not affect Yukianesa. _"Go forward!" _she yelled and Rika immediately shot forward with a Shunpo, unknowingly evading something she could not see at all. _"That's good! Keep listening to me and you'll be fine!"_

"I'll leave it to you, Yukianesa!" Rika looked around warily as she focused on hearing Yukianesa's instructions.

_"Block to your left!" _She immediately swung her sword to the left, feeling it hit something metal and pushing the object away. Muramasa was probably attacking from that direction. _"Go up, and just run! He's using those threads again!" _Rika Shunpo-ed upwards and took off to another direction as fast as she could. Yukianesa's directions were very clear and she had no problems following them to the letter. However, she could not deny her own instincts. When she looked ahead of her and appeared to be running straight into a wall, she instinctively slowed down and hesitated. That was enough for Muramasa to catch her.

She was quickly restrained by the threads, some of it squeezing her wrist so hard she was forced to drop Yukianesa. Muramasa took that chance to appear in front of her. He had her suspended in mid-air as he had a palm facing her body. She could tell what he was up to, and her worst fears were starting to form.

"Stop... No, stop..." she pleaded.

"Listen to my voice," Muramasa commanded.

"No... no! Stop!" Rika screamed as she struggled against her bindings.

"Obey your instincts and break your soul free. Play all you want by my side. Come... Yukianesa!" With a deliberate slowness, he dipped his hand directly into Rika's soul, causing her unimaginable pain. She screamed in pure torture as she felt like a piece of her soul was literally being torn away.

"Hold her up for me, if you please," Yukianesa's voice soon reached her ears. She tried to move, but only her head moved. Her other limbs felt restricted and bound. She could no longer see the threads compared to the glimpses she noticed earlier. "Hello, Rika," Yukianesa stood in front of her, smiling in her usual manner. Rika immediately noticed the difference of how she was being addressed. Yukianesa never called her by name, and always by the affectionate 'Master'.

"Yu...Yukianesa..." Rika gasped out, struggling to stay conscious after the agonizing extraction.

"It'll be okay, Rika... Just relax..." Yukianesa hugged Rika close as she patted the back of her head with a gentle, soothing caress. "Relax..."

"Yuki...anesa..." Rika started slurring. She did not know why, but she suddenly felt the urge to fall asleep in her Zanpakutou's embrace.

"That's a good girl, Rika... Just sleep and everything will be fine..." Yukianesa whispered lovingly as Rika's head started bobbing up and down from the inducted sleepiness. Her eyes gently closed from the peaceful feeling and her head rested easily on the girl's shoulder as she went into a slumber. Seeing that the job was done, Muramasa released his threads and Yukianesa easily carried the larger girl in a bridal manner. "We'll have lots of fun when you wake up, Rika..." she giggled quietly as she gave her former master a chaste kiss on the lips. That was the first thing Ichigo saw when he returned.

"Yukianesa, you...!" he growled before remembering who the real perpetrator was. "Muramasa!"

"I have set her instincts free. Kurosaki Rika is now our prisoner," Muramasa told him.

"Rika is not our prisoner. She is MINE! I will allow no-one to harm a single hair on her head!" Yukianesa snarled at Muramasa who looked at her with slight wonder. "If you or anyone else dares to do so, I will take them out, and I don't care who it is!"

_'To think I couldn't bend Yukianesa's will to have her attack the girl... Is their bond that strong?' _Muramasa pondered silently. _'...Well, I suppose this is good enough.'_

"Let my sister go!" Ichigo roared with fury as he slammed his sword on Muramasa's sword and shoved him away harshly. "Yukianesa! What did you do to Rika?"

"I put her to sleep. She was in pain, so I helped relieve it," Yukianesa replied. "I'll take good care of her, so don't you worry. You won't ever get to see her again."

"You bitch! Why are you doing this to her? Rika's done nothing but care for you and love you! Is this how you repay her? By taking her away from her family?" Ichigo yelled.

"Oh no. Rika and I are family. The one who is unwelcome in the family... is you." Yukianesa returned his fierce glare with one of her own. "Once we settle down, I will make sure your life is forfeit, Kurosaki Ichigo. And if it comes to it, maybe your father, Yuzu and Karin, too. Just maybe. But you... You are the one I must get rid of. Once you're gone, I will take your place as the most important person in Rika's life! I will be the one she will love the most!"

"As if Rika will agree to that! You'll only break her heart! If you hurt Rika in any way, I'll kill you! I don't care if you're her Zanpakutou!" Ichigo swore.

"Before you get ahead of yourself Kurosaki Ichigo, you'll have to get past me first," Muramasa Shunpo-ed in between them. Go on ahead, Yukianesa. Follow Sode no Shirayuki's trail. She will lead you to our hideout."

"I pray that you drop dead, Kurosaki Ichigo," Yukianesa shot Ichigo a cruel smirk before Shunpo-ing away with Rika in her arms and sleeping in ignorant bliss.

When Rika regained consciousness, she found herself in a place surrounded in white ice. She recognized the white ice as Yukianesa's signature ice, as her ice contained no water. Yukianesa had told her once in one of her Jinzen sessions that her ice was composed of frozen vapor. Even if melted, no water would be formed. She could use water and snow to form her ice too, and those would convert into vapor as well. Yukianesa said that her unique ice prevented her from conjuring as much ice in her attacks as compared to other ice-elemental Zanpakutous, but the freezing quality of her ice was of a higher grade since she did not have a hybrid element. Sode no Shirayuki was one example of a hybrid, being a mixture of snow and ice.

"Ah! Rika is awake! Yay!" Rika's attention turned from her Zanpakutou's ice to the girl that was her Zanpakutou spirit. Yukianesa bounded away and clasped herself to Rika's waist, shaking her back and forth as she squealed in extreme delight. Rika had to briefly wonder if Muramasa's spell made Yukianesa mentally younger as well. She was occasionally childish, but never to this extent.

"Yukianesa, get off-" When Rika found herself unable to leave her sitting position against the ice wall, she realized that her hands were overlapped over her head and held in place with a single shackle made with Yukianesa's ice. Her face paled when the situation dawned on her. She was being held prisoner by her own Zanpakutou! She was able to squirm in place, but she could not move an inch from her sitting position. She was stuck in that position for good.

"Rika! I love you, I love you, I love you!" Yukianesa continued squealing in pure joy, ignoring Rika's plight.

"Yukianesa, can you please let me go? I can't move," Rika requested sweetly.

"No, I can't let you go! You are mine, and only mine!" she refused adamantly.

"Please don't be selfish, Yukianesa..."

"No! You'll go away and love someone else! I love Rika, and I won't let anyone else have you!" Whenever Rika had to say to that was cut off because of their lips pressing against one another. Shocked for just a moment, she hurriedly started making muffled protests before Yukianesa could get carried away. "I love you so much, Rika. I won't allow any other person, human or otherwise, to have your love. You are my beloved. I won't let you go... Now... I'll prove my love to you..."

Yukianesa returned to forcing her lips onto Rika's. Using the natural talents of a succubus, she easily manipulated the kiss to force Rika to open her mouth and start engaging in french kissing. While doing that, she easily untied the sash keeping the shikakushou together and tossed it aside. Rika was alarmed and was close to hyperventilating when her clothes were being taken off. All her protests were drowned out by the sounds of the forced kiss and her sharp intakes of breaths. Only one thing stayed clear in her mind as Yukianesa started to tease her body in her warped sense of love: Why was Yukianesa doing this to her?

"Oh ho... That's a nice reaction..." Yukianesa whispered, lust permeating from every pore in her body. It had been a few minutes since they started, and Rika's top and bottom had been sufficiently removed to allow Yukianesa easy access. "Have you started enjoying this?" she asked as she teased her upper and lower body with her fingers.

"Ha... Ha... I'm not...!" Rika wheezed out an answer as she bit back a particular loud moan.

"Don't be such a spoilsport. Just admit it and let yourself free..."

"You know... it's only because... of the stimulation...! I... don't... like... this! Ha... ah!"

"You'll get used to it one day, I promise."

It had been about twenty minutes before Yukianesa left the ice room in the corner of the cave where she kept Rika imprisoned. The rogue Zanpakutous eyed her licking up a very suspicious fluid from her fingers and the sounds of the captured Shinigami weeping heavily from inside her prison.

"Just what did you do in there, kid?" Kazeshini asked mockingly.

"Telling her I love her," she replied.

"Hey! Don't tell me you really...!" the snake half of Zabimaru suddenly shrunk away from Yukianesa, clutching his nose at the offending smell. The baboon half had a grimace on her face, smelling the very strong scent of the activity done in the ice room.

"Of course not! We're both girls, after all."

"You really did that to her...?" Tobiume gasped loudly.

"It's what lovers do. I'm not ashamed to say it." Some gasped in shock, some were disgusted, and some simply did not care or were indifferent. Everyone was silent, other than Yukianesa stating she was taking a bath in the lake. Only the sounds of Rika's anguished weeps could be heard.

**Author's Note: Well, here we are in the Zanpakutou Rebellion Arc! The beginning of the arc is the same as the anime. It is only when they enter Soul Society that things change. Sode no Shirayuki expresses jealousy to the very active relationship between Rika and Yukianesa. After Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki finish their fight, Rika is the one to fight first.**

**Rika had a great start but eventually loses because of instinctive reactions. Yukianesa gets converted and Rika gets captured. Just as Yukianesa promised, even after she is converted, she steadfastly refuses to harm Rika. Instead, her other instincts gets warped to questionable extents.**

**For the part where opposing Zanpakutous know each other when their Shinigamis fight, I based it on the fight between Renji and Ichigo in Soul Society to rescue Rukia. I am quite sure Renji did not know the name of Ichigo's Zanpakutou at that point in time. Yet when Zabimaru materialized themselves as Renji was recuperating, they apparently knew Zangetsu. Using this scene, I made up my own theory.**

**For the last scene of this chapter, it is quite clear which desire of Yukianesa's got warped. A certain thing happened behind the icy door of the ice room, and it's very obvious what happened.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	55. The Reborn King

Ichigo had a terrible battle with Zangetsu after Muramasa freed his Zanpakutou. Not only that, but that bastard of an inner Hollow tried to sneak in and steal his body. He managed to reclaim it back, but then Muramasa came into his inner world uninvited to investigate about his inner Hollow. He tried to drive him out, but he managed to bring out Hollow Ichigo to the surface using the same thing he did to make Zangetsu leave him.

**"Yo. You rang?" **Hollow Ichigo greeted the person who freed him.

"What the-? What the hell's going on here? Why's he here?" Ichigo lay sprawled on the ground, sapped of his strength as he gazed in shock at the reappearance of his inner Hollow.

"Fascinating," Muramasa said. "This world exists inside a Shinigami. In it there resides yet another Kurosaki Ichigo. And his reiatsu is just like a Hollow's. What exactly are you?"

**"Me?" **Hollow Ichigo chuckled. **"I'm his true form. I guess you could say I'm his instincts."**

"His instincts? I see. So that was you. That power Kurosaki Ichigo used in his fight against me... he was just like a Hollow. I see. So you're the source of that power."

**"Maybe," **he said loosely as he unwrapped his own version of Zangetsu. **"Now I've got some questions. What the shit are you?"**

"I'm the Zanpakutou Muramasa. I set Zanpakutou free. Zanpakutous come when they hear my voice. And I have the ability to awaken their inner instincts."

_'I see. That's why old man Zangetsu, Rika's Yukianesa and Rukia's Sode no Shirayuki...' _Ichigo discovered one of the truths of Muramasa's abilities.

"Since you have the same powers as a Hollow, and are the embodiment of Kurosaki Ichigo's instincts, I shall use my powers to release your inner instincts." Muramasa stuck his hand out and used his ability to extract Hollow Ichigo's inner instincts. Hollow Ichigo just stood there and took it with a smirk. "Done already?" Muramasa walked with a relaxed pace towards the still man. When he got close enough, Hollow Ichigo's smirk got wider and he shot forward, shocking Muramasa as he just barely managed to escape from being cleaved in two.

**"Not bad," **Hollow Ichigo gave a small praise after Muramasa managed to knock him back after withstanding a few of his blows.

"I'm not here to play. If you've got some sort of real power, then show me," Muramasa stated.

**"Interesting," **he charged again to attack Muramasa.

_'Damn it... They're inside my soul and they're just messing around...' _Ichigo still felt too weak to even stand. He just laid down there and watched as Hollow Ichigo gradually overcame Muramasa's defenses.

**"I'm digging this. I haven't let loose like this in a long time," **Hollow Ichigo expressed his glee at getting a chance to fight as he swung Zangetsu in circles by the cloth. When he rushed forward, Muramasa actually lost sight of him and was blasted into a nearby skyscraper by the force of Hollow Ichigo slamming Zangetsu into the ground.

_'He's pushing him back?' _Ichigo could not help but be surprised at how well his inner Hollow was fighting.

**"Get down here, Zanpakutou!" **Hollow Ichigo called out. **"You ain't done yet, are you?"**

"Impressive," Muramasa rose from the debris, appearing undamaged. "I didn't expect to be pressured like this. You are a Hollow, aren't you? When I freed Zangetsu from Kurosaki Ichigo, you were set free as well. And you are what transformed Kurosaki Ichigo into that strange new being. Am I wrong?"

**"Maybe, maybe not," **Hollow Ichigo replied in the usual vague manner.

"It doesn't matter," he brushed it off. "If that's all true, it means I never needed to bother with you in the first place." He made a move to attack, but instead landed a few feet away from Hollow Ichigo. "The relationship between Zanpakutou and Shinigami is one of conversation and understanding. But now I know there can be another facet like you that must be suppressed as well. This is very intriguing."

**"Hey, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were mocking me. Him, suppress me?" **he pointed to the sprawled out Ichigo.

"Am I wrong?"

**"Damn straight you are."**

"Then what's the answer?"

**"You don't need to know! Besides, what's so special about Ichigo... about us? What's your angle?"**

"You'll see someday."

**"I see. Anyways, I don't know what you're planning, but you ain't getting away with it. I'm gonna devour Ichigo and take over his body for good. That's my instinct." **Ichigo was alarmed by the statement. **"You also messed with my goods. I know what you did to that princess and my woman."**

"What are you talking about?" Muramasa was confused by how he referred to two particular people.

**"Yukianesa and my little sister Rika-chan, of course. I saw what happened to them. It wasn't pretty, but quite entertaining to watch."**

"You know what happened to Rika? Hey! Answer me!" Ichigo butted in for the first time, demanding for the situation of his sister.

"How did you manage to know about what I did to them?" Muramasa asked, curious as well.

**"Like I said before, you don't need to know!"**

"Then let me know! What happened to my sister?" Ichigo yelled.

**"Just yours?" **Hollow Ichigo mocked. Ichigo only glared harder in extreme fury. **"But if you really wanna know, whatever this guy here did to Yukianesa, turned things between them really hot and steamy. It was very one-sided, but hell it was a sight to watch!"**

"Just tell me what happened!" he shouted as threateningly as he could.

**"If you're that persistent, then I'll guess I'll tell you. Rika-chan. Was. Raped. Now aren't you glad you know?" **he chuckled darkly in amusement. He took delight in seeing the frozen look of horror show itself on Ichigo's face. Being something made mostly out of instincts, primal instincts being part of him as well, the familial love felt by Ichigo for Rika was broken down to its most primitive level for him. That was how he perceived his 'love' for his sister. His instincts driving him told him to dominate her until she broke under his will. He did not feel a shred of guilt since it was her own fault she agreed to do whatever he wanted before she even heard what it was yet. He did not care if Yukianesa wanted to ravage her wielder senseless. She was the sole exception that was allowed to mess with his possession because she belonged to Rika in the first place. Everyone else would be signing their own death warrants if they tried. Of course, that was only when he stole the throne and became King. For now, watching the two girls going at it brought entertainment to his primal instincts.

"What did you say...?" Ichigo muttered like a zombie.

**"What are you, deaf? Didn't you hear what I just said?" **His reply turned out to be a massive eruption of reiatsu building up from Ichigo. Bright blue reiatsu surrounded him as he stood back up with sheer determination. Pure hatred was burning within his brown eyes.

"MURAMASA!" he roared as he sent a massive Getsuga Tenshou at the mastermind behind Rika's predicament. It was dodged, but Ichigo could care less. He wanted to murder the Zanpakutou spirit. He did not care about the nearby skyscraper that was destroyed by his own attack. If he went insane, without turning into a Hollow of course, that was fine as long as that man was dead by his own hands.

**"Nice shot there, King," **Hollow Ichigo took a moment to admire the carnage. **"But no need to blow your top that much. Rika-chan's still a virgin, if that's what you're worried about. She only had fingers enter her bottom mouth."**

"That doesn't matter a goddamn bit! This bastard got her raped! You call Rika your sister, and you don't even give a damn?" Ichigo directed all his anger at his Hollow.

**"Nope, not at all. I don't care if Yukianesa is the one doing the raping. Anyone else is dead. She's mine. Don't forget that, King."**

"WHAT!" Ichigo nearly dropped his spiritless Zanpakutou in pure shock. He had thought Rika was captured to be used as an object for whatever male Zanpakutou spirits were freed when he heard she was raped. To think that Yukianesa was the one who... Come to think of it, he recalled seeing her giving a kiss to Rika's lips when she was knocked out. That should have been a clear sign to him.

As Muramasa watched the two identical people discuss the state of Yukianesa's prisoner, he was nearly distracted from the reversed-colored Zangetsu flying straight at him. He blocked it, but was still knocked off his feet and sent flying back. He saw the cleaver turn in mid-air as it moved on to dissect Ichigo from the waist up. Ichigo was keen enough to block it, pushing him away and the three people were left standing in a triangle.

"What the hell's your problem?" Ichigo demanded as Hollow Ichigo easily retracted his thrown weapon and spinning it by the cloth nonchalantly.

**"I'm not letting him get away with messing with my property, but since I'm finally free, why not take a chance and go for the throne again? Good idea, ain't it?" **he smirked evilly at both of them.

"Bastard!" Ichigo cursed before he felt something constrict his entire body. "Muramasa...!" He easily identified his attacker. "Let go...!"

"Be good and stay there while I slay that Hollow of yours," Muramasa stated as he summoned his sword form to his hand.

**"So that's it, eh? No wonder Yukianesa could see it. It's just a stupid parlor trick," **Hollow Ichigo noticed the reflections on the building on top of the one they were standing on. There were multiple threads emerging from Muramasa and they were wrapped tightly around Ichigo. His smirk grew bigger as he launched his weapon forward like a missile. **"Now that I know how to look for it, you're a goner, Zanpakutou!" **he laughed maniacally as he threw a barrage of wild attacks that seemed random, but were actually very well-calculated. Muramasa was hard-pressed to keep up. This was getting out of hand for him. He hurriedly bailed out of Ichigo's inner world before the two Ichigos had any chance of teaming up against him. With Muramasa gone from the inner world, Ichigo was freed again. However, his freedom was short-lived when he felt a blade pressing against his stomach. He looked up to see the madly grinning face of his Hollow.

**"Take a good long nap, King! Your throne is mine!" **he cackled with glee before calming down. **"Getsuga Tenshou."** The only thing Ichigo saw and felt was a bright flash of red devouring all his senses as he was blasted off the skyscraper. His vision blurred badly as he could barely hear the victorious laughter of his Hollow. His entire being was engulfed in pain, his torso nearly blown open.

_'Damn it... Damn it...! DAMN IT!' _Ichigo could only swear in his head as gravity pulled his body down. Everything blacked out the second his back hit the concrete pavement all the way at the bottom of his inner world.

Muramasa was already back in Soul Society, and waiting patiently for Ichigo to arise. He was shocked to see a Hollow mask start forming on the left side of Ichigo's face.

**"Yo. Been waiting for me?" **Hollow Ichigo asked, a smirk forming on his face as gold-black eyes stared maliciously at Muramasa.

"What a surprise. I was expecting Kurosaki Ichigo to awake, not the Hollow," Muramasa quickly recovered from his shock.

**"Nah. You won't see him for quite a while, maybe never," **he replied as he watched with interest how Ichigo's Zangetsu switched colors to become his own version of the Zanpakutou.

"You continue to fascinate me, Hollow. You and Kurosaki Ichigo. I never expected a Shinigami, and a Hollow, to intrigue me to the extent you do."

**"And you continue yapping that same bullshit. Enough with the chit-chat. You're finished!"** As Hollow Ichigo threw Zangetsu, the spirit of the sword appeared in a Shunpo and deflected the attack away from Muramasa. **"Yo, Zangetsu-san. Having a good time there hanging out with Muramasa?" **he greeted in a mockingly friendly manner. Zangetsu gave no reply. He was disappointed that Ichigo let his inner Hollow overwhelm him. He did not know what happened in the inner world, but he had a very good guess. Although he never voiced it out, he utterly disliked the way Hollow Ichigo wielded him. Although unique in its style, and something the inner Hollow taught Rika during the short time they belonged to her, it was a barbaric sight to watch for a refined swordsman like himself. **"Be prepared to get beat down, Zangetsu-san, because you're coming back home to me!" **he declared. **"But just for kicks, what are your hidden instincts?"**

"I want to know... between me and Ichigo, which of us is stronger," Zangetsu stated.

**"How cold. Don't I matter at all?"** he mocked.

"I'll gladly raise my blade against you if that's what it takes to bring Ichigo out, and find out the answer to my question. You should have no need to ask me that. You were a part of me. You already know what I want." Blue reiatsu almost exactly like Ichigo's own began swirling around Zangetsu as he activated Bankai. Hollow Ichigo's grin only got wider in anticipation of a good fight. He was a bit displeased to see Zangetsu with his Bankai sword. He was not at full power.

**"You looking down on me? Not going to ask that 'kid' to fight?" **he asked, a frown on his face.

"Now is not the time for Ichigo to know," Zangetsu replied, knowing what Hollow Ichigo was referring to.

**"Tch, fine. Have it your way. Don't regret it when I give you a trashing, old man!" **

Muramasa watched with quiet interest as the two battled back and forth. Despite Zangetsu in Bankai, Hollow Ichigo was holding his own extremely well with no apparent signs of being pressured. His smirk was still present on his face. He swung and threw his Zanpakutou all over the place and with incredible ease, with several of those mid-ranged swings coming close to Zangetsu. Even if he tried to take advantage of the fact his sword was separated from him after it was thrown, Hollow Ichigo knew just how to move to evade and force Zangetsu to halt his attack to avoid the returning sword.

**"As expected of you, Zangetsu-san. You definitely know your Bankai, and so do I. Too bad Ichigo doesn't know how to use it all that well. But I told you. You're not taking me down fighting half-assed like that," **Hollow Ichigo told him.

"I can say the same to you. Why don't you engage in your Hollow form? Fight me at your full strength. Otherwise, you will never defeat me," Zangetsu calmly returned the trash-talking. Hollow Ichigo was now King, and thus had control over his complete Hollowfication, rather than letting it run on pure instinct. At the moment, the complete mask was on his face and his hair was beginning to extend into its wild mane.

**"My full strength? Hah!" **he scoffed. **"I need you for that, old man. You know that."**

"Fair enough. Drawing this out is nothing but a waste of time. Let's put an end to this."

**"Do your best Zangetsu-san, because you're going down," **he promised as he flared his signature black and red reiatsu. That was purely his reiatsu, but because he was one with Zangetsu for a very long time, its colouration seeped into his Bankai. Originally, Zangetsu's Bankai reiatsu was purely black, and the black was clearer than Hollow Ichigo's black, if that made any sense.

"Take this! **Getsuga... Tenshou!" **Zangetsu charged his sword with as much as reiatsu as he could before firing the blast. Hollow Ichigo raised his Zangetsu high into the air, and a bright red enlarged image of his mask hovered above him.

**"My turn! Getsuga Tenshou!" **He swung downwards, and the image of mask moved forward along with a bright red Getsuga Tenshou, as if trying to devour the opposing Getsuga. The two Getsugas clashed in between them, and it was a standstill. After a few seconds, the increase of Hollow Ichigo's reiatsu alarmed Zangetsu and the spectating Muramasa. **"I told you, old man. You're going down."** A crimson light began gathering at Hollow Ichigo's position. Even with his shades, Zangetsu had to squint to see past the waves of energy in front of him to see what he was up to.

_'Getsuga Tenshou with one hand and Cero the other?' _Zangetsu became visibly shocked when he saw it.

**"I win!" **he yelled in victory as he unleashed the Cero to back up his Getsuga Tenshou. With the backup, Zangetsu's Getsuga was banished and Hollow Ichigo's Getsuga reformed its mask image and practically devoured Zangetsu. An explosion of red reiatsu lit up the entire sky, catching the attention of every single Shinigami. **"Now it's your turn, Zanpakutou," **he turned his attention to Muramasa once the light cleared, spotting Tensa Zangetsu to the side.

"Did you not feel any hesitation about attacking your own Zanpakutou?" Muramasa asked with a confident tone.

**"Hell no!"**

"What?" Muramasa's confident smile disappeared.

**"I was practically a part of Zangetsu ever since Ichigo's got him! Besides, he was a part of me before as well. All I did was the same thing I did before."**

"I see." That was all Muramasa had to say before he started coughing violently and his body started becoming transparent. "So this is the bond between a Hollow and a Shinigami? Interesting." He coughed again. "It seems I've spent too much time fooling around with you. I shall retreat for now."

**"You're not going anywhere."**

"Hollow, I will remember this." Muramasa then disappeared in a green light. Soon after he left, Zangetsu materialized from Tensa Zangetsu.

**"You doing okay, Zangetsu-san?" **Hollow Ichigo asked, though not out of concern for the spirit's well-being.

"Yes," he answered. "I'm fine now. I'm finally free from his mind control."

**"That whole bringing out a Zanpakutou's instincts thing?"**

"Muramasa... He awakens a Zanpakutou's instinct and uses it to manipulate us."

**"Controlling all the Zanpakutous, eh? Rika-chan must be really troubled having her beloved princess being controlled. At least the princess is having fun," **he chuckled in amusement before pausing for a moment. He looked as if he was looking at something only he could see, and soon snickered at whatever he saw. **"Looks like they're back at it again. The princess sure is eager to show love with all that kissing, groping and fondling. Meh, at least it isn't stuffing her fingers in the other mouth this time."**

"Most likely, yes," Zangetsu was referring to the controlling Zanpakutous part and pointedly ignoring the other sentences. "Ichigo, you truly saved me this time."

**"You're calling me by our former King's name?" **he looked amused.

"You are him, are you not?"

**"You're not wrong there."**

"What are you going to do now?"

**"Isn't it obvious? I'm going after Muramasa. But before that, it's about time I picked up a certain favor from my little sister."**

"I see."

**"I've got good news to share to her too. Soon the whole world will know that..." **Hollow Ichigo turned to look towards the Soul Society horizon. **"I'M THE KING!" **He broke out into an unrestrained, crazed evil laughter. Although he had consciously withheld the complete Hollowfication, just the mask and the completely grown mane of hair was more than enough to give him a sinister look.

**Author's Note: This chapter focuses completely on the fight between Hollow Ichigo and Muramasa, and the subsequent fight with Zangetsu. The beginning of the fight in the inner world is the same as canon, but the news that Rika has been raped causes Ichigo to rise faster than normal and attack Muramasa. That results in a three-way standoff, so Hollow Ichigo does not nearly get slain by Muramasa. He notices the reflective threads instead of Ichigo who gets bound instead.**

**Muramasa realizes he is no match for Hollow Ichigo while holding Ichigo down, so he flees. Hollow Ichigo makes good of his promise to Ichigo. As far as he's concerned, Ichigo letting Muramasa drag him out from his Vizard prison, and Zangetsu no longer the warden, he was free. Ichigo had messed up big time, and he took advantage of it. ****Hollow Ichigo goes on to rule the body and defeat Zangetsu with a combination of Getsuga Tenshou and Cero. He can now control his Hollow instincts and its powers. ****The Getsuga Tenshou is bright red, the same as when Rika accidentally used it during her short time possessing Zangetsu.**

**I believe that the Bankai Getsuga Tenshou Hollow Ichigo used when his instincts overtook Ichigo for a short time before the inner world battle is not really that, but just an instinctive energy blast that happened to look exactly like it. Remember when Urahara was trying to force Ichigo to remember the Getsuga Tenshou during the ten-day training? He released an energy blast that just happened to look exactly like the Getsuga Tenshou. Same thing here.**

**Also remember that Hollow Ichigo used to be a part of Zangetsu and vice-versa, so they know each other's secrets except for the piece of Hollow Ichigo that is in Rika's soul. Hollow Ichigo can see what that piece of him sees despite his lack of a permanent body in her inner world. That's how he knows what exactly happened with Yukianesa and Rika. He also gets a front-row seat into their second love-making session. Yukianesa's love-making session, to be exact. Rika's being forced to participate.**

**How will things change now that Hollow Ichigo is King? Ichigo won't be getting screen time for quite a few chapters, that's for sure. But maybe there will be a little scene for him struggling as the Horse.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	56. Lost And Found, The Hollow Way

In Muramasa's hideout, Houzukimaru revealed the news that Zabimaru had been defeated by their Shinigami to the other Zanpakutous. That riled up some of Zanpakutou lounging around in the cave who gave out their views regarding their respective Shinigamis. Haineko commented on how lame they were for only thinking about fighting. Tobiume mentioned that she was just as dumb as them. They soon started quarreling among themselves until Muramasa returned.

"What's the commotion?" he asked.

"Nothing. Isn't that right?" Haineko looked to her quarreling partner for support.

"Y-Yeah..." Tobiume agreed with slight hesitation.

"Muramasa-san," Houzukimaru spoke up. "I heard you let a Shinigami go. That's not like you."

"Kurosaki Ichigo... He has a unique ability," Muramasa replied.

"Ha! He's just a weak Substitute Shinigami. I'll tear him to pieces if I ever see him," Kazeshini bragged.

"No. I think I'd like to take him alive, if possible."

"Sometimes doing things that way can be fun," Tobiume gave her support for Muramasa's change of plans. All the other Zanpakutous soon joined in the rally as well. All except for one, that was.

"And how will you do that? Since you're back without Zangetsu, it's very obvious to me that you couldn't make Zangetsu betray Kurosaki Ichigo or he had regained Zangetsu after you dragged him out. Either way it's your loss, and Zangetsu will likely be able to resist a second calling," Yukianesa brought up a good point.

"Don't worry about it. I have a plan to get around that," Muramasa assured the skeptic girl.

"We don't need to hear anything from a _human _Zanpakutou!" Kazeshini taunted. "Just go back to screwing your Shinigami!"

"Unfortunately, my dear Rika has passed out from exhaustion. Perhaps my love was too much for her to take in all at once?" Yukianesa giggled mischievously.

"You are one sick Zanpakutou," Houzukimaru said with a smirk.

"I'll take that as a compliment, Houzukimaru-san. I take pride in the fact that I love my Shinigami more than any of you here do with your own," she curtsied to him in mock gratitude before turning to Muramasa, a fierce gleam entering her slit eyes. "Do keep in mind that Kurosaki Ichigo is my target. If you manage to capture him, finish your business quickly for I will end his life by my very hands."

"I'll remember that," Muramasa replied. After heading off to a secluded part of the cave where no-one would see him, he slipped away into the Forest of Menos in Hueco Mundo.

Gegetsuburi and Houzukimaru went out for a night raid, but that did not turn out too well on their side. Gegetsuburi was defeated and captured, and Houzukimaru could not finish his one-on-one fight with Ikkaku. Haineko and Tobiume went out to follow Hyourinmaru, but was found by their respective Shinigamis and captured. The problem was they were found on the verge of death dealt by extreme brutality. It appeared they were purposely left alive to suffer with the most amount of pain possible. It was a miracle they had not reverted back. The only things their horrified ex-wielders could get out of them were 'Kuro' and 'Go'. They quickly pieced the clues together as Kurosaki Ichigo, but found it extremely hard to believe that he would put them through this much torture. They were eventually rescued by someone they never expected. Lastly, Hyourinmaru was successfully reclaimed by Toushirou.

On the Shinigami's side, things were not going well for them either. After that huge outburst of Ichigo's reiatsu, no-one had been able to locate him. The only concrete evidence they got was that Ichigo was neither killed nor captured. It was as if he chose to go missing, causing even more undue stress on the recuperating Rukia. One of the scouts reported seeing Byakuya, but it seemed he had no intentions of rejoining the ranks at the moment. Lastly, there had been reports of Hollow reiatsu being detected in various areas of Soul Society, but no signs of a Garganta forming at all.

In the meantime, Muramasa had just returned from Hueco Mundo after absorbing a Hollow with sufficient power.

"I still haven't adjusted to the body yet..." he muttered after a short coughing fit. He then sensed someone watching him from a short distance away, and turned to face the person.

**"Welcome back. Just finished consuming a Hollow, Zanpakutou?" **Hollow Ichigo welcomed him back mockingly. **"Did you believe I wouldn't find out what you've been up to?"**

"I knew you'd come here, Hollow," Muramasa ignored the fact his activities had just been caught red-handed and stood up calmly. "I believe we must be deeply connected by fate somehow."

**"Deeply connected? Yeah, right," **he scoffed.

"I believe you will be most useful in helping me reach my goals. You can feel it too, can you?"

**"Yeah, whatever. I don't give a shit about your goals, and I'm not helping you one bit. All I care about is you have something that belongs to me, and the rental fee is your life."**

"How foolish." Muramasa extended his arm out to him, making him quirk an eyebrow in amusement.

_"Don't worry. Muramasa's voice does not brainwash us. It merely sways us into following him. While it was highly effective while I was unfamiliar to it, I now know what his voice is capable of. He can no longer influence me!" _Zangetsu gave his assured safety, not that Hollow Ichigo needed it.

"So merely observing me no longer puts you in awe, does it?" He started coughing again, only making Hollow Ichigo's smirk wider.

**"You really think you can keep up with me with your reiatsu all messed up like that?" **Compared to Ichigo, who only had massive power with little control, Hollow Ichigo had that massive power and more, along with perfect control. Reiatsu-sensing was a cakewalk to him, but he usually did not bother with it. He was not just a user of power; he was one of the sources of it. Of course he had perfect control over it.

"You've forgotten something," he mentioned as he released his threads to bind Hollow Ichigo who made no move to evade, only keeping his smirk up. "It's no use trying-" He suddenly entered a particularly violent coughing fit, losing his focus on the threads and making them disappear.

**"I told you so!" **he cackled and in one smooth swing, Zangetsu unwrapped itself and fired the red Getsuga Tenshou almost simultaneously. Muramasa watched in panic as tears of blood poured down his face, until someone defended against the attack for him. **"Had backup, huh? Who the hell are you?" **he asked the newcomer, not pleased with the interruption.

"You'll figure it out in a moment." The moment he turned his Zanpakutou upside-down and it vanished into the ground like water, his identity was revealed.

**"So you're Senbonzakura," **he mentioned in a relaxed tone, unworried about the coming Bankai. As the countless petals started to surround him, he lazily got into his Bankai preparatory stance. **"Bankai." **Utilizing the hyper-speed combat capabilities of Tensa Zangetsu, he easily cut down every petal around him, as well as firing five miniature Getsuga Tenshous at Senbonzakura. He was briefly surprised by the white-red color of the blast instead of the usual black-red as he easily dodged them.

"You are... not Kurosaki Ichigo, are you?" he accused, seeing a white coat instead of a black coat. "Zangetsu's Bankai is clad in black, not white!" The hakama remained black, though. Ignoring the mask and the hair, he knew it was Ichigo. But something still did not feel right to him besides the wrong color. The reiatsu he was emitting was extremely disturbing.

**"Who cares? You don't need to know!" **Hollow Ichigo shot forward to strike. Senbonzakura responded by sending a wave of his petals to counter which appeared to push him back. When he parted them, Hollow Ichigo was nowhere to be found.

"From above?" he casually stated, looking upwards to see that he was right. Hollow Ichigo was cackling madly as he held his sword high above his head. "Did you think such an attack would work on me?" he asked as he Shunpo-ed right behind him.

**"Sure I do!" **In that instant, the overhead strike shifted to a side swing, surprising Senbonzakura that he was being read and his counter was countered. The petals guarded the blow for him before any blood could be drawn. He was still slammed downwards and crashed into the ground but was otherwise unharmed. **"Did you really think you could catch me with that kind of speed?" **Hollow Ichigo mocked as he landed a short distance away.

"Eat this!" Senbonzakura commanded the petals with his hands this time, doubling the speed. It was still not enough to catch Hollow Ichigo who easily evaded with short bursts of Shunpo as he closed in. Taking a page out of Ichigo's books, he started rapidly Shunpo-ing around him and leaving behind afterimages. Whatever Ichigo could do, he could do too... except better. Those afterimages were not just images, some of them actually released a small blast of Getsuga Tenshou. Coupled with how many afterimages were being made, he was being shot at from all angles. That was not a problem since the petals could provide him with a 360 degree shield, but that prevented him from seeing what else Hollow Ichigo was doing. Just when he thought he was safe, he barely saw a white sword flash from behind at the corner of his eyes and ducked, losing only a few strands of hair compared to his head.

**"You're slow! Too slow! Should I have given you a handicap and fought in Shikai instead?" **Hollow Ichigo taunted, spinning Tensa Zangetsu by the chain as Senbonzakura panted from exertion. Ichigo was pathetic if he was struggling against this type of crap! He could not even hold onto his Bankai properly when he first got it! It was not as if he did not have any practice with it. He did have practice, and he still sucked! He decided he had enough playtime and went for a finishing blow. **"How's this for an attack!"** He fired a powerful Getsuga Tenshou at Senbonzakura.

"Here it comes!" he recognized the signature attack and focused all his petals to defend against it.

**"What? You think that's all I've got? How stupid can you be!" **Hollow Ichigo had already Shunpo-ed behind him and fired a second equally powerful shot. He had no choice but to split the petals to protect himself. However, as a result, it was no longer enough to hold back the two blasts fully, and both scored a direct hit, lighting up the night sky with a small explosion of white-red energy. After the dust cleared, Senbonzakura was still standing but was panting hard. **"You're tough, I'll give you that much."**

"Not bad. Now try this! **Goukei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!" **Senbonzakura put his hand out and Hollow Ichigo found himself surrounded all over by petals. "There are a hundred million tiny blades. They form a sphere around the enemy and fly at you from every direction. I believe it's your first time experiencing this attack." The pink sphere shrunk before imploding on him. "He's finished."

**"Who's finished?" **the mocking voice of Hollow Ichigo the petals fell to the ground, he could be seen still standing there with no apparent signs of injury.

"Impressive. I'm surprised you can still stand after that," Senbonzakura praised. They stared at each other for a few moments, neither making a move. He was not attacking, but it seemed that he was not hesitating. It appeared as though he was waiting just to taunt him. "If you won't attack, then I will. **Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." **They were caged in by four rows of glowing swords and two of those swords went to Senbonzakura's waiting hands. On an unknown signal, Hollow Ichigo fired a larger Getsuga than the previous two and he attempted to counter it with the full power of the two swords. An explosion rocked the area and dispelled the Senkei. "It appears that our reiatsu have tied against one another."

**"You sure about that?" **Hollow Ichigo asked with a cocky grin, once again spinning his white Tensa Zangetsu by the broken chain. He greatly enjoyed indulging in this particular habit with both Shikai and Bankai. It made him unique, separate from Ichigo. His grin got even bigger when the upper portion of Senbonzakura's mask shattered, revealing the human face within.

"What... happened...?" Senbonzakura fell to one knee as he covered the broken portion with his hand.

**"You thought you could take me on your own when I kicked your master's ass while you were with him? Get real!" **he laughed.

"Very well, then. I'm going to make you regret humiliating me!" he declared in anger as he summoned one of his Senkei swords.

**"You just don't get it," **he chuckled darkly, not even taking a ready stance and continuing to spin Tensa Zangetsu.

"You're the one that doesn't get it!" Before he rush forward to attack, he was stopped by none other than Byakuya.

"That's enough," he commanded.

**"Well, well. Look who decided to join in the fun," **Hollow Ichigo spoke up, watching with interest as Senbonzakura reluctantly obeyed his former master. Byakuya slowly turned his attention to him.

"Pull back, Kurosaki... if that is who you are," he addressed him coldly. "You are the Hollow within, are you not?"

**"Heh," **he neither confirmed nor denied anything. Byakuya decided it was a threatening response.

**"Hadou 33, Soukatsui," **he shot a low-powered blue flame that was swatted aside with a mere wave of Hollow Ichigo's free hand. He was not surprised, as it was merely a warning shot.

**"Getting violent, aren't we?"**

"Hollow, I cannot allow you to attack this man," he stated firmly.

**"What?" **Hollow Ichigo raised an eyebrow in curiosity. **"Did you get trashed by your own Zanpakutou and submitted to him?"**

"Submit? A Zanpakutou could never best me," he replied like it was an absolute fact. "I am doing this out of my own free will. The Zanpakutous are following through with their inner desires and expressing a sense of self. You, along with many other Shinigamis, have witnessed it. You saw their liberation. I am following suit. I am merely obeying my inner desires." Muramasa started laughing after silently watching the fight between Hollow Ichigo and Senbonzakura.

"That's quite a fascinating Shinigami," he chuckled. "Then allow me to ask you something, Shinigami. What is your inner desire? How will you express your will?"

"My inner desire... is to protect my pride. Nothing more." His gaze returned back to Hollow Ichigo. "Hollow, stay away from Muramasa henceforth. Otherwise..." he drew his spiritless Zanpakutou from its sheath and pointed it at him, causing his grin to look even crazier. "...you will die."

**"I'd like to see you try," **he replied as Byakuya, Senbonzakura and Muramasa disappeared beneath a wave of petals. Once they were gone, he disengaged his Bankai and replaced Zangetsu on his back. He waited for a short while before cracking a huge smirk. **"That way, huh?" **he vanished in a Shunpo as he followed their reiatsu trail. There was no point in tailing them if they stopped to intercept him.

Meanwhile, all the Zanpakutous were shocked that Muramasa allowed Byakuya to join their side except Yukianesa, who could care less about her allies. Defying her Shinigami was not her purpose for siding with Muramasa. Not surprisingly, everyone was against him joining despite the fact he was the one who rescued Tobiume and Haineko. To prove his loyalty, Senbonzakura dared him to strike down Sode no Shirayuki because supposedly killing other Zanpakutous besides their own would result in the Zanpakutou never returning to normal. To their shock, he accepted without any hesitation and chased after his sister's Zanpakutou.

He showed his dominance over her as he overpowered her in terms of strength and ability usage as evidenced by a Byakurai piercing through a Hakuren. Despite being on the defensive, she remained confident that she would emerge victorious even if he put his all into killing her. Tsukishiros were being used in rapid succession which he dodged. He evaded all but the last one. Seemingly killed by that last blow, she let down her guard, until he announced his presence behind her and trapped her in place with Rikujoukourou and ending her life by slashing through her mid-section. Sode no Shirayuki ended up reverting to her Shikai form, except it was broken and emitted no reiatsu, a 'proof' of death. Senbonzakura grieved over her loss, promising to kill Byakuya should he show any suspicious actions. Muramasa was convinced of his loyalty, and gave him a job to do. That night, Muramasa would launch an all-out attack on the Shinigamis. Since Kurosaki Ichigo was not on the Shinigami's side according to him, Yukianesa had no reason to participate and was tasked to guard their hideout.

Hollow Ichigo was carefully hidden in a nearby forest, patiently waiting for everyone to leave so he could take back Rika. As much as he craved battle and destruction, he had a ton of patience as well. He knew how to wait for opportunity. While he would like to destroy every single Zanpakutou in there, that would only get the entire Shinigami force on his tail, and he did not want that kind of nuisance. So he waited like a saint, and felt Rika return to consciousness through his connection with her. She was unknowingly helping him look out for a chance to break in.

It took a while, but soon everyone except Yukianesa left. That was good enough. Casually strolling into the cave and whistling obnoxiously, he soon found the ice room where Rika was held prisoner with a make-shift door to prevent anyone from peeking in. It was made on Rika's insistence for privacy's sake. While Yukianesa could care less who watched, Rika did not want anyone else to see her in the pathetic state she was in. She agreed to her wishes in exchange for not resisting whenever they made love. Apparently, Yukianesa enjoyed watching Rika look so helpless and getting drunk on the ecstasy of their love-making.

**"Knock, knock! Look who's here!" **Hollow Ichigo joked as he kicked the door in, sending it flying to the other side.

"Yes, what an unpleasant surprise," Yukianesa replied dryly with displeasure written all over her face. Rika turned her head to see the intruder with a flushed face, panting hard from the intense stimulus her body was going through. Her current position was like an 'L' standing on its short leg, her body being forced to lean forward in a 90 degree angle and held in place by her hands shackled to the wall and her waist shackled to the ground. Her exposed butt was sticking out like a sore thumb, and liquids could be seen dripping from in between her legs. Her flushed face immediately turned deathly pale when she saw him.

"Nii-san, no! Don't look at me! No!" she screamed in horror as she tried to squirm into any position that could hide her exposed bottom. Her top had been disrobed but not taken off, allowing it to keep her chest hidden from his view.

**"Hey, hey. Who's nii-san? You don't recognize me at all, Rika-chan?" **Hollow Ichigo asked with mock pity. It did get her hysteria to stop for a moment for her to give him a second look. Seeing the complete mask with slit golden eyes that followed the shape of the eye holes and the wild long mane of orange hair set her mind straight.

"O...Onii-san...?" she whispered hesitantly.

**"The one and only! And guess what? I'm the King now!" **he broke into diabolical laughter.

"Eh?" Yukianesa broke into a childish whine. "Not fair! With you here, I can't kill-!" she abruptly stopped her tirade before Rika could hear it. She never mentioned her goal of killing Kurosaki Ichigo in front of Rika since she knew it would only worsen Rika's love for her.

**"Kill who?" **he challenged. She went over and jabbed him in the gut with a finger since she was vertically challenged. She could poke his chest, but she would look stupid with her arm raised that high.

"Kurosaki Ichigo!" she hissed quietly at him, warning him not to say anything with her glare.

**"Scary, scary! Yeah, I got ya. Too bad 'that person' isn't here right now. Want to leave a message?" **he joked.

"Even outside, you still irritate me with your presence," she grumbled, folding her arms and looking away childishly.

**"Glad I did," **he snickered, causing her to nearly drop her jaw as she stared at him disbelievingly.

"You-! Argh!" she threw her hands up in frustration as she returned to Rika's side.

"Onii-san... So... You're the king, now?" Rika asked wearily, her legs aching after having been stuck in that position since morning. His smirk only got bigger as he went over and yanked her free from her bindings, ignoring the pained yelp of nearly having her wrists dislocated from the force of breaking through the shackles.

"Hey!" Yukianesa protested. "Leave her there! We've still got so many positions to do!"

**"No can do, princess. I've got a favor to call in, and I'm top priority," **he refused.

"Like heck you are! Rika's mine! I'm not sharing!" she squeezed Rika's waist selfishly.

**"Says the person who left her. Unlike you, I'm still in her," **he bragged. Yukianesa did not refute that since it was fact. **"What do you say, Rika-chan? Ready to be mine? Just to remind you, you owe me, and I won't take no for an answer."**

"...Alright. I'll... be your woman... but only after all of this is over!" Rika caved in. "I did make a promise, after all..."

"What!" Yukianesa was taken aback by her decision. "Don't... Don't you love me anymore, Rika...?" Tears started pooling in her eyelids as her lips trembled.

"No, no! I do love you, Yukianesa!" she hurriedly comforted the distraught Zanpakutou, completely unable to resist the look of a miserable, heartbroken girl. "Just... not like that..." She knew a part of her was traumatized by her rape. She had kept telling herself it was Muramasa's doing over and over again, but she could not help but look at her Zanpakutou spirit with slight fear and apprehension. To be frank, this was the very first time she was genuinely afraid of her. She was not sure if Yukianesa saw it in her eyes, because she did not seem to look that convinced.

**"Good to know you're keeping your side of the bargain. I would really hate to make you keep it, even if I can do that just like this," **he snapped his fingers in emphasis.

"What do we do now, onii-san?" she asked as she hurriedly redressed herself.

**"What else? We raise hell to Muramasa," **he answered with a bloodthirsty smirk before taking off in a Shunpo, Rika quickly following. With nothing else to do and not willing to surrender Rika so easily to the demented side of Ichigo, Yukianesa went along as well. **"But not tonight. I bet you're starved after two days of doing nothing but sex, and I need to maintain this body of mine. What good is my power if my body can't keep up with it? We go hunting for food first thing in the morning, then we kick that Zanpakutou's ass."**

"Wha-?" Rika gasped before her entire face turned scarlet. "How did you know that! Don't tell me you were watching everything from my inner world!"

**"What do you think?" **he asked, his devious smirk hidden behind his mask. **"If you ask me, I think bondage suits you quite well." **He broke into laughter after Rika fainted on the spot in mid-Shunpo from sheer embarrassment. Yukianesa started yelling at him for making Rika crash into the forest floor and marring her beautiful body but he totally ignored her, leaving her to carry her former master on her own as she followed him to a clearing where they would have some decent rest for the night.

**Author's Note: Hollow Ichigo goes off in search for Muramasa and waits for him exactly where he would return after his feeding in Hueco Mundo. Along the way, he destroys Tobiume and Haineko who happened to be in his way.**

**Senbonzakura defends the unstable Muramasa from Hollow Ichigo's attacks, but is easily defeated by his overwhelming power. Byakuya appears to prevent his Zanpakutou spirit from continuing the fight, warning Hollow Ichigo not to pursue Muramasa. He easily tails them to their secret hideout, and waits until everyone has left before simply walking in and reclaiming his stolen property. Yukianesa, not wanting to just simply hand over Rika, reluctantly starts following him around.**

**Since Hollow Ichigo is now King, he has complete control over Ichigo's Shinigami powers as well as his own Hollow powers. His basic appearance is just like Ichigo, dressed in the standard black shihakushou except with a permanent mask on his face and the mane of hair from the first complete Hollow form. Zangetsu has also switched colors to fit Hollow Ichigo. His white shihakushou only applies to him when he is seen inside the inner world. On the outside, he wears whatever Ichigo is wearing.**

**As for his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu is white, obviously. Following the color change, the coat of the Bankai is white as well. Only the hakama remains black. Just think of it as a white coat on top and black pants below since Bankai does not affect the lower garment. He has no need to turn to his Hollow powers yet and is keeping up his human appearance for now, though he can transform whenever he wants.**

**The next chapter will have Hollow Ichigo meeting up with the Shinigami for the first time after his overtaking of Ichigo's body. How will they respond to the new Ichigo?**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	57. Confrontation Between Snow And Wind

The next morning, Yoruichi had new information to share with the Shinigami forces. She had discovered where Yamamoto was most likely to be at, by which she meant she found his reiatsu there. Ukitake and Kyouraku agreed that they should not wait for the Zanpakutous to attack them any longer. Kenpachi, ever the battle-crazed warrior, asked in a roundabout way for permission to bring the fight to the Zanpakutous. The other two captains agreed to his idea, and now had a plan of action.

In the meantime, Hollow Ichigo had just scored a huge kill on a bear and was enjoying making roast meat out of it. It was a shame he could not just eat it raw like he would with a Hollow. Hollows could not be prepared as meals, after all. At least they were tasteless when eaten raw. Eating anything else raw would leave a horrible feeling in his mouth. Hollows on the other hand could eat anything raw and still find them delicious, even tasteless Hollow meat. He could not do the same unless he went full Hollow, but why waste a proper sense of taste? It helped him enjoy other food as well instead of raw meat all the time, such as the fruits Rika and Yukianesa gathered.

Rika ate her rather large portion of breakfast hungrily, having starved for nearly three days. They could bring along the few fruits remaining, but the same could not be said for the carcass of the bear which was promptly incinerated to ash courtesy of a Cero from Hollow Ichigo.

"Come to think of it... Hirako-san once showed me a Cero while he was wearing his mask," Rika recalled one of her endurance training sessions with Shinji. "Maybe I can learn it too..."

**"Why not? A Vizard is part-Hollow, so no big surprise. Those Arrancars can use those lame Kidou if they really wanted to learn them in the first place. They're part-Shinigami. Nothing shocking there either. They won't use it even if it can save their lives though. Hollow pride and all that crap," **Hollow Ichigo explained as he savagely tore off a huge chunk of meat. **"You interested in being more like me? Can't say that's a bad thing," **he chuckled, his echo-ish voice causing it to sound eerie. Rika could only hide her embarrassed face under the pretense of finishing up her own piece of meat. Yukianesa spotted her look and was left fuming with extreme jealousy.

When Hollow Ichigo led them back to Muramasa's hideout after breakfast was over, they met up with the Shinigami's advance party which consisted of Yoruichi, Kyouraku, Ukitake and Kenpachi.

"Ichigo! Rika! Are you two alright? Where have you been?" Yoruichi asked. The two siblings merely exchanged looks before the younger answered the question. Hollow Ichigo had told Rika telepathically via her mask that it was best for her to do all the talking.

"I was captured by Muramasa, and... nii-san freed me yesterday," Rika answered, making sure to address her brother 'correctly'.

"And her?"

"I don't particularly care about what Muramasa is up to. All I care about is my dear Rika!" Yukianesa hugged Rika's waist tightly and started shaking her back and forth in overjoyed glee. A sheepish look was on Rika's face as she weakly allowed herself to be shaken about.

"Come here for a second," Yoruichi beckoned Rika over. When she did, she slung her arm over shoulders and pulled her closer to whisper. "You should defeat your Zanpakutou as fast as you can to remove Muramasa's influence over her. You haven't done so, have you?"

"N-No..." Rika muttered miserably. How could she do that, even if it would help Yukianesa as well as being the 'right thing' to do? She just could not bring herself to do it. "I can't do it..."

"Is something stopping you, or are you just scared?" It was a very old and obvious taunt, but one that worked plenty of times.

"Both. No matter how twisted she may be, I can't make myself even imagine hurting her, let alone raise my sword against her."

"Even if it is to help her?" Rika only nodded sadly. "You're only going to suffer more if you don't grow a spine and return your Zanpakutou to her proper senses," Yoruichi chided her sternly.

"I understand...! I understand what you're saying, but...!" Rika pushed herself away from Yoruichi, distraught by the truth. "I just can't!"

"...Fine. Handle her your own way, then," she relented. "But you better make sure you don't regret this decision, am I clear?"

"Yes, Yoruichi-san!" Rika was grateful for her understanding.

"That aside, what happened to you, Ichigo? What's with the hair?" Yoruichi turned to Hollow Ichigo, not knowing it was not the real Ichigo.

"It's a side-effect from Hollowfy-ing for too long! Nii-san doesn't want to be caught off-guard at all!" Rika shrieked a response, panicking as she hurriedly covered for him.

"Is that so?" she narrowed her eyes, suspecting something highly suspicious. Rika was a very terrible liar since she refrained from lying as much as possible.

"Ah... Um..." See? A terrible liar.

**"It's nothing, Yoruichi-san. Using Hollowfication for this long grew my hair and made my voice sound all high," **Hollow Ichigo came to her rescue.

"Right..." Yoruichi knew something was off, but decided not to probe for now. Saving Yamamoto took priority. She could question the siblings' suspicious behaviors after that.

"In any case, we're glad you're safe. Shall we go rescue Yama-jii now?" Kyouraku mentioned. As the Shinigamis entered the hideout, Rika could only stare at Hollow Ichigo in awe. For just that moment, he behaved exactly like Ichigo would! He would have fooled her as well if she did not already know Hollow Ichigo was the one in control and could already tell the difference between their reiatsu.

**"Something on my face?" **he asked in mock amusement when he turned his eyes to her.

"N-Nothing! Let's go, onii-san! Come on, Yukianesa," Rika freed herself from Yukianesa's tight hug and let her hold her hand instead. She heard him chuckle in his sinister-sounding voice, making her face flame up involuntarily. Yukianesa eagerly led the way to Muramasa's location since she had explored the caves when Rika had passed out from their love-making. They easily found the underground cavern where Muramasa was watching over Yamamoto, but Kazeshini was guarding the only way in.

"I'm not letting any of you pass!" Kazeshini told them in a cocky tone, holding out his twin scythes as he stood on a higher platform. Hollow Ichigo only snorted at his presence. That idiot really taught he could hide his injuries from him? He was only putting up a brave front, but that was it. He was not worth the effort at all. Fortunately, Yukianesa was eager to pick a fight.

"Please kindly move aside, Kazeshini-san, unless you wish to be broken and discarded like a worthless asauchi," Yukianesa replied, showing that she still had her polite yet cynical behavior in her. Being called an asauchi was the worst insult to any Zanpakutou. It basically meant that they might as well not exist. Even dying alongside their Shinigamis who failed to contact them was better than having their existence outright denied.

"An asauchi... am I?" Kazeshini bared his sharp teeth in unrestrained rage. "How about I turn you into one, _human_ Zanpakutou!"

"Leave this one to me, Rika. I'll allow you to behold my grace in battle," Yukianesa materialized her Shikai form in her open hand. "This injured beast will be a fine practice partner," she noticed his injuries as well.

**"Let the princess show you how it's done. You might learn something useful," **Hollow Ichigo advised as he leaned against a rock cropping. **"Just sit back and watch the performance." **He started munching into a peach as he looked decidedly relaxed.

"Before I start, though..." Yukianesa beckoned for Rika to lean down to her height. When she did, she grabbed her head from behind and smashed their lips together. Rika immediately tried breaking away but she held firm. In a second, she felt her reiryoku rising up her throat and reflexively opened her mouth to stop herself from gagging. Yukianesa matched her mouth movement as her reiryoku flowed from one mouth to the other. "Thank you for the meal," she said her graces as she pulled away, licking her lips as though she had just consumed a delicious treat. Rika fell to her bottom and hurriedly backpedaled away, her face somehow mixing a pale look with an embarrassed blush. Hollow Ichigo only burst out in laughter at seeing the horrified look on her face.

"Stop laughing! It's not funny!" Rika fixed an angry glare at him as she hastily wiped away the saliva that dribbled from her mouth when Yukianesa stole her reiryoku in a much more perturbing manner than usual.

"Don't be so shy, Rika. Think of it as wishing me luck and for added insurance," Yukianesa suggested without even an ounce of shame.

"That's way too overboard for just wishing luck!" she protested.

"That's fine. Luck aside, it really is for added insurance," she mentioned as the bells on the sword jingled in rhythm with the bells she wore on her person as she twirled around playfully to turn to Kazeshini. "Perhaps this plebian might be able to do something worthwhile besides getting killed. I don't want to die like him, you know!"

"Don't get all arrogant with me, brat!" Kazeshini tossed one of his scythes forward, making it spin like a circular chainsaw. Yukianesa easily smacked one aside and caught sight of the second one following close behind. She twirled gracefully like a ballet dancer to the side, avoiding it cleanly. He charged forward himself, pulling back the sycthes back to him as they engaged in close quarters. Being just barely recovered, his movements were slowed and Yukianesa had an easy time matching his movements and being mockingly playful while at it.

First blood went to Yukianesa after stomping Kazeshini's foot in what was arguably a cheap move. It did no lasting damage, but it did its job by causing him to flinch long enough for her to get in a deep slash across his torso and throw him back.

"That was a cheap shot, you little bitch!" Kazeshini cursed as he struggled to stand.

"Funny you should say that when you're like a shadow and strike from within them as well," Yukianesa countered. "Besides, I don't think you're all that much when a simple step on your foot makes you wide open."

"Shut it! There's no way in hell I'm going down by the likes of a brat like you!" Kazeshini tossed his scythes in a pincer attack and charged in from the front.

"Yukianesa, look out!" Rika cried out in worry for her Zanpakutou's safety.

**"Sit down and relax, Rika-chan. You look pathetic," **Hollow Ichigo told her, tossing away his finished fruit. **"You really think she'll get defeated so easily? Have you even seen her fight?"**

"Well, no... I haven't," Rika admitted. "You're right, onii-san. I need to have more confidence in Yukianesa."

**"Good that you get it. I would really hate to see you be as stupid as Ichigo."**

In a move Rika had never seen Yukianesa do or demonstrate before, she stepped towards Kazeshini, seemingly heading straight into the most dangerous spot. The moment she completed her first step, she suddenly split into four, all of them lining up in a straight line. It was pointless at first glance as the scythes would slice through all of them but shockingly, all four were not Yukianesa's real body.

"What!" Kazeshini yelped as his attack missed entirely and Yukianesa was nowhere in sight. The four copies were soon revealed to be just snow crystals reflecting her image that quickly evaporated away.

"Over here, Kazeshini-san," her voice resounded from behind him as pain exploded from his back from a deep slash.

"Damn you...!" he stopped himself from giving into the pain and turned around to face Yukianesa again. "Die!" he tossed one scythe and charged in with the other in hand. This time, he was prepared for a back-attack. Instead of making any playful movements, she swung her sword in a graceful arc, shooting three icicles at the same time at different angles.

"Amazing..." Rika gasped as one icicle derailed the flying weapon, the second forcing Kazeshini to abandon his attack and defend himself, and the third... sailed far and wide, not even anywhere close to Kazeshini. '_Just what was the third one for?'_ Rika's amazement died immediately at seeing the completely wasted action. All it did was miss.

**"That third one only looked like it missed but it actually distracted him," **Hollow Ichigo noted. **"All three icicles were formed at the same part of the blade. They just had different angles to them. You think you can correctly guess which one is actually aimed at you when you first see them and not run into one if attempting to evade?"**

"I get it now..." Rika understood the purpose of the intentional miss only after she had it explained to her. She was now even more enlightened to Yukianesa's power. She knew she was only scratching the surface of her Zanpakutou's true power, but even then it was still amazing to her. "I thought you weren't watching, onii-san. How did you know all that?"

**"I don't. I was just watching television," **he replied, smirking under his mask at her utterly confused look. **"The Kurosaki Rika-chan channel is on right now. Get what I mean?" **Rika could only cover her face in embarrassment at the obvious trick question. **"Hey, don't start advertising your hands now! Get back to the show!" **She quickly apologized and returned her attention back to the fight.

Yukianesa charged this time, using a Shunpo to appear in front of Kazeshini who only had one scythe in his hand. He blocked her overhead swing and tugged on his chain to yank back the thrown scythe. Pressuring her into a deadlock, she seemed unaware of the returning weapon. Just before it could tear into her, she positioned her free hand behind her and a rectangular ice shield that was slightly bigger than her appeared from her open palm, protecting her from the back-attack.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" Yukianesa asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, causing a small rise of panic in Kazeshini. He only appeared panicked before a full-blown smirk appeared on his face.

"Did you think I was that dumb?" he returned the taunt and broke the deadlock to his advantage by using a two-handed grip on his available scythe.

"No way!" Yukianesa exclaimed in shock, losing her balance as she tripped and stumbled forward in front of Kazeshini.

"You're mine, bitch!" he raised his scythe in all his glory as he prepared to remove her head from her shoulders. Her eyes were wide with fear as she stared at the glinting edge of the weapon.

"Yukianesa!" Rika cried out as she thought it was over.

"Yes, I am yours... to your loss," Yukianesa played the trick Kazeshini did by pretending to be cornered. As the blade came slashing down, an ice cocoon appeared around her, instantly freezing the scythe and Kazeshini's attacking arm in absolute zero. His eyes widened in horror as Yukianesa's sword began to glow white with a massive amount of reiatsu. He had one hand free, but his other scythe was out of angle even if he pulled on the chain.

"I'm not going to lose here!" he yelled in defiance as he flared his reiatsu, resorting to a kick to try and free himself. Instead, it too got frozen by the ice cocoon. Now he was left standing in an awkward position as Yukianesa took her time watching him with childish glee and giggling.

"The reiatsu I use to create this cocoon is so much more than you can put in any of your strikes. You will never break this cocoon of mine, Kazeshini-san," Yukianesa boasted. "I have to give credit to Rika for coming up with this ever-so-useful technique. It may not be my original technique, but who said Zanpakutous couldn't learn? Are you interested in hearing the name of the technique that will end you?"

"Fuck you!"

"I'll take that as a yes, then. The name of this grand and glorious technique is..." Yukianesa propped her sword in position, ready to end Kazeshini who only screamed in pitiful defiance. **"Fuyu no Kata: Yukikaze." **Almost like a laser beam of ice, the blade slashed right through Kazeshini mid-section without any resistance as the cocoon shattered. Kazeshini fell to the ground almost dramatically before his form vanished into a pair of broken watched him with sinister mischief in her eyes as her sword vanished into snow crystals. "Farewell, living one. And welcome to my cold winter party, my unliving guest." She curtsied gracefully at the broken Zanpakutou in cruel mockery.

Rika watched her actions with utmost worry. That kind of cruelty was uncharacteristic of Yukianesa. Did Muramasa's influence over her mind made her more cruel than usual? She forced herself to ignore it for now, instead basking in pride for her Zanpakutou.

"Yukianesa, that was so incredible! I'm so proud of you!" Rika hugged Yukianesa lovingly. Yukianesa started cheering with a child's happiness as Hollow Ichigo clapped his hands in mock applause.

**"Let's go! The big fish is still waiting for us! This time, I'll tear him limb from limb, and maybe even a new one!" **he cracked his knuckles in anticipation as they entered the cavern where Muramasa was bound to be waiting for them with a captive Captain-Commander.

**Author's Note: Hollow Ichigo and his two followers meet up with the Shinigami's attack force just when they were about to go after Muramasa. Yoruichi highly suspects something is amiss with their behavior just by how panicked Rika became when she had no reason to be.**

**This chapter marks the first time Yukianesa participates in her own battle. Since it's against a wounded Kazeshini, the fight is rather one-sided. At the end of the battle, she displays a rather vicious side of her to a broken Kazeshini. Rika is unsure whether it is a part of her that she keeps hidden from her, or something caused by Muramasa's influence.**

**Yukianesa has a fighting style that fits her personality very well. She fights with a mixture of grace and child-like playfulness, even throwing in unorthodox moves such as stepping on her opponent's foot and utilizing her reflective illusions to throw them off. She has displayed a lot more aptitude with her techniques, even being able to use Yukikaze all on her own, a technique that is not originally hers and deemed as a collaboration technique by Rika.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	58. Muramasa's End, Hollow Ichigo's Start

The first thing that greeted them after seeing Yamamoto encased in a green pyramid was a sneak attack by Muramasa. He threw his sword at them only to have it deflected back to his hand courtesy of Hollow Ichigo.

"I'm impressed you made it here, Hollow. Though I did not expect you to have rescued Kurosaki Rika and persuade Yukianesa to turn against me," Muramasa spoke up.

"Don't get me wrong, Muramasa-san. I do not care whatsoever about your goals. As long as you don't go after Rika, I won't get in your way," Yukianesa shot him with a critical look.

**"I knew you'd be here, Muramasa. I could sense you all way back there," **Hollow Ichigo stated, holding Zangetsu out in eager anticipation.

"It seems it's our fate to cross blades. Perhaps it would be best to finish things here and now," Muramasa suggested.

**"I don't give a damn about fate. I just wanna kill you!"** Without need to utter its name, Hollow Ichigo fired a Getsuga Tenshou at Muramasa who actually made the effort to block and deflect such a heavy attack when it could easily be dodged since it was fired from quite a distance away.

"Hollow, don't you realize such an attack isn't enough to stop me? You won't get one step further until you defeat me," he mentioned. "Now, fight me with your full strength. Show me the real depths of your power. Become that monster."

**"Not interested,"** he refused.** "I would stomp you until you're nothing more than a pile of crap on the floor. Where's the fun in taking you out that fast? Why don't you make me get serious instead?"**

"If that is what it takes, then so be it." They both starting exchanging swings and blows, but neither gained any advantage. It was hard to tell who was keeping up with who. "Fight harder, Hollow. Even if you have no intention of using your full strength, the amount of power you're wielding now is nowhere near enough to defeat me." Muramasa then pointed his sword at Hollow Ichigo challengingly. "Show me! Show me your ultimate Getsuga Tenshou!"

**"It's your death wish," **he shrugged as he activated Bankai. Compared to Ichigo, Hollow Ichigo was way more unpredictable even with the same weapon and technique. Unlike the former King, Hollow Ichigo knew a hell of a lot more ways to fire the Getsuga Tenshou instead of just one huge projectile. Granted, it was the easiest form to take when firing the shot and had the fastest speed. It required concentration to fire it in other ways. His personal favorite was the close-range Getsuga Tenshou that exploded like an atomic bomb. He took pride in the fact that even though Ichigo copied the close-range Getsuga Tenshou from him, he had never been able to make it explode like he did.

"Something's wrong," Rika noticed an oddity. From their conversation earlier, Muramasa did not deny that he had no chance at defeating Hollow Ichigo. So why was he trying to tempt him into unleashing more power? "Onii-san, be careful! Muramasa's up to something!"

**"I know," **he replied coolly, relaxing Tensa Zangetsu on one shoulder. **"Did you really think you could bait me with such an obvious trap? You're planning to do something with my power. I'll take a wild guess and say the old man in that barrier..." **he pointed to Yamamoto. **"is being shielded, rather than being caged in. Am I right?" **His hidden smirk got wider at the alarmed look on Muramasa. Thanks to the delay, Yoruichi, Kyouraku and Ukitake arrived in time to provide reinforcements for the siblings.

"It looks like we made it in time!" Yoruichi said in relief. "Did you figure it out?"

"Figure what out?" Rika asked.

"Muramasa's real motive was to go after the Captain-Commander's Zanpakutou. He was trying to get Ichigo to use his Getsuga Tenshou while Hollowfied. From the look of things, it appears the fight had just begun."

"You mean that barrier isn't to keep Yamamoto-san imprisoned?"

"We were horribly mistaken. That barrier is meant to keep him safe. Fortunately, it has not been broken."

**"I thought it was something like that. Your taunting only made me more suspicious. It's the end of the line for you, Zanpakutou!" **Hollow Ichigo managed to restrain his overwhelming desire to laugh out loud mockingly. He needed to play the part of 'Ichigo'. Laughing like a madman was not something Ichigo did. Being smarter than him was excusable. He saw the Sougyo no Kotowari twins and the Katen Kyoukotsu sisters arrive in time to hear Muramasa's speech of his real goal being to invade Yamamoto's inner world to get certain information and the Zanpakutou Rebellion was merely a front for that. They were quick to turn against him upon hearing of his betrayal and returned to the sides of their Shinigamis.

"I've never liked you at all from the very beginning, Muramasa-san. I certainly never cared what your goal was. I only followed you to satisfy my instincts. Since you're on the losing side now, I don't want to be with you anymore," Yukianesa pulled her eyelid down and stuck her tongue out in childish provocation. "Besides, Rika isn't with you anymore."

"It was a mistake to free you from your Shinigami," Muramasa admitted calmly. "You are too much of a wild card to control as I please, but your ability is something I had to get away from. I knew from the start you have nothing but love for your Shinigami. Even with my manipulation, I could not get you to inflict harm upon Kurosaki Rika. But do tell us. What are your instincts?"

"To be the one Rika loves the most," she declared loud and clear.

"...I understand now. No wonder you are obsessed with wanting to take the life of Kurosaki Ichigo. He is the one who holds Kurosaki Rika's love the most. With him gone, there will be no-one to impede your path."

"Yukianesa!" Rika screamed in absolute horror, taking a step back from shock.

"I can't stand Ichigo! I hate Ichigo! I want him to go away! I want him to disappear! Rika will only be mine! And if anyone else claims her heart before me, they're dead too!"

**"Looks like the cat's out of the bag. You wanna do it?" **Hollow Ichigo stood challengingly in front of Yukianesa, still keeping up his 'Ichigo' act.

"...Not now. Perhaps in the near future when I can't stand your presence any longer," she replied, knowing that he was only staying in role.

**"Guess I should make sure not to get on your bad side any time soon, eh?" **he chuckled, acknowledging the subtle warning. If he lost control back to Ichigo, Yukianesa would immediately go after him and just might be able to take his life. Too bad for Ichigo if that happened. Hollow Ichigo had an emergency escape plan he could use if Ichigo were to honestly die somehow. Dying as a human would not count. That only meant he would be a permanent Shinigami rather than just a substitute. He had to die as a spirit.

Rika was too much in shock to even articulate a word. She could understand if Yukianesa held jealousy over others she loved. But to the point she wanted to kill her brother just so she could be the person she loved the most? She just could not believe that. She instinctively pushed all the blame to Muramasa. He must have had twisted them somehow. What else would explain the soft rape Yukianesa constantly delivered to her several times a day while being held captive? She did leave her virginity intact though, and that gave her a very weird sense of relief... But that was besides the point.

"Rika! You love me too, don't you Rika? Right, right?" Yukianesa turned sweet loving eyes towards her, making her flinch involuntarily. It sounded like she was being referred to like an object to make love to. It was sickening. "Don't be scared. I won't hurt you. I promised, remember?"

**"Lay off her, why don't you? Get a room when you do it, not in the open like this," **Hollow Ichigo came to her rescue for the time being, but it was clear to the girls that he cared little for Yukianesa's sinful activities except for Rika's pleas for it to be in private.

Ukitake offered Muramasa one chance to surrender peacefully as he was now backed into a corner with no chance of escape. He only scoffed in a calm manner, stating he would rather die than to surrender to the very same people who allegedly turned against his master. He revealed that his Shinigami had been sealed away and all he wanted was to free him. Since he failed, he would grant his master a final wish, and that was to eliminate the current Soul Society.

A massive outburst of reiatsu exploded from Muramasa, and it quickly started to reek of Hollow reiatsu. Everyone grew alarmed and prepared to take him down. Before anyone could move, Muramasa had his head decapitated from his shoulders courtesy of a Getsuga Tenshou by Hollow Ichigo. All the Shinigamis stared at him in complete shock. It was not something Ichigo would have done at all.

**"What? Muramasa was going to unleash a whole load of Hollows here if we just waited for him. I'm not risking that," **Hollow Ichigo explained himself. Personally, he would rather enjoy a massacre than playing it safe. They reluctantly accepted his reason, recognizing the fact that Muramasa was indeed attempting to summon a massive horde of Hollows.

"Genryuusai-sensei, it's safe to drop the barrier now. Muramasa has been dealt with," Ukitake spoke through the barrier. Yamamoto creaked an eye open warily as he surveyed the area. Confirming the disappearing body as belonging to Muramasa, he let down the barrier... and immediately released his Zanpakutou. "Genryuusai-sensei?" Ukitake exclaimed.

"Fools, all of you! That boy right there is not Kurosaki Ichigo! That is the monster within the child!" he chided them severely as he launched a massive fireball at Hollow Ichigo who quickly dodged, only to block a kick aimed at his face from Yoruichi. It would really suck for him to have his mask broken.

"I thought as much, but I played along to confirm my suspicions. How you've fallen, Ichigo. I'm disappointed in you," Yoruichi spoke with sincere dismay in her voice, showing that she really cared for the young teen. "And here I thought you were completely suppressed from the Vizard training."

**"Oops, I got busted. What are you going to do about it, huh? Yoruichi-san?" **Hollow Ichigo mocked one of Ichigo's mentors.

"Beat you back to your senses, of course," she forced a cheerful smile as she went for an axe kick that was dodged cleanly. Since Hollow Ichigo's real identity had been busted, all swords were turned against him with the exception of Rika and Yukianesa.

"Wait! Stop!" Rika screamed as she ran to her brother's side, forcing everyone to stop.

"Kindly move out of the way, Rika-chan. You _do _know that is no longer your brother, right?" Kyouraku told her, not completely surprised that she went to Hollow Ichigo's defense.

"He's still my brother even if he's a Hollow! I won't just stand aside and let you kill him! Please, leave him to me! I'll watch over him!"

"And how do you intend to do that, girl? Will you strike down your brother with your own hands?" Yamamoto asked heatedly.

"No, I will not! I will try to keep him from getting too out of control! I will handle this!"

"Bah! Mere words, girl! Those are not enough to convince me!"

"I mean absolutely no disrespect to you, Yamomoto-san, but you will never understand the depth of my love for my family. So what if he's a Hollow? That doesn't change the fact he's my brother. I am not going to leave him to be on his own. I will not abandon my family. I will stay by his side no matter what, and I will do whatever it takes to stay there. I love my brother, even if he is to take the form of a monster. Call me naive or whatever you wish, but if you wish to take my brother away from me..." Rika drew her Zanpakutou as her eyes shone brightly with resolve. She also took out her own Hollow mask and wore it. **"You'll have to kill me together with him. Play... Yukianesa."** With all her will and resolve imposed into the command, the spiritless Zanpakutou in her hands could not help but respond. Hollow Ichigo whistled in appreciation and Yukianesa clapped in applause, thoroughly pleased and even more in love with Rika.

"This goes without saying, but if you want Rika, you'll have me to go through as well," Yukianesa quickly joined the side of the siblings.

**"I may be a Hollow, but don't you dare say I do not recognize Rika-chan here as my sister. You want to go after the things that belong to me? Well good luck, because you'll be needing a hell of a lot of it," **Hollow Ichigo's tone sounded extremely menacing right then. He was not snarling in anger or anything and he was still giving off an arrogant air, but Rika could tell he was being a little serious about defending her.

"Are you absolutely certain you can keep... him... in line, Rika-kun?" Ukitake asked reluctantly, severely reminded of the time his former lieutenant got possessed by a Hollow. Rika turned her eyes to meet with Hollow Ichigo and pleaded with him through eye contact alone.

**"Alright, fine. I'll play by your settings, Rika-chan. I won't terrorize or make trouble for Soul Society... much. This is a big favour, and I'm being pretty generous about this," **Hollow Ichigo shrugged.

**"I know. I'll definitely make it up to you for this, onii-san," **Rika promised, ignoring the very bad feeling she had in her gut. But if it was to help her brother, she would do anything within reason for him.

"What about me, Rika? Aren't I a good girl?" Yukianesa shamelessly asked for praise.

**"As long as you promise not to kill onii-san."**

"That's easy! I don't want to kill him anyway. Just Ichigo. But since he's not here right now, that's totally fine with me!"

"This has gotten to be a really troublesome thing..." Kyouraku sighed. He was really worried about Hollow Ichigo and Rika's safety while with him, but her unshakable resolve to stay loyal to her brother touched him dearly. He was torn between allowing them to roam free or to take all of them down.

"UNACCEPTABLE!" Yamamoto boomed. "I will not allow a Hollow to roam free within Seireitei! If you insist on remaining here, I will incinerate you to ashes!"

**"I got you, old man. Let's get out of here, Rika-chan," **Hollow Ichigo said before Shunpo-ing away, Yukianesa following suit. Rika removed her Hollow mask and bowed in gratitude before following after them.

"I'll keep a close eye on them, sou-taichou-dono. I'll make sure they don't create any trouble," Yoruichi informed Yamamoto.

"See that you do," Yamamoto grunted.

"Genryuusai-sensei, I suggest we should remain silent on this unless major trouble concerning them arises," Ukitake suggested. He may not like it, but he would put his faith in Rika's ability to keep her Hollowfied brother in check. "We do not want to unnecessarily rile all the Shinigamis and give them trouble instead." Yamamoto nodded his head and sealed his Zanpakutou. As long as Hollow Ichigo did not enter Seireitei, he was free to roam about in Rukongai as long as there were no reports of him terrorizing the spirits there. Ichigo and his friends had helped Soul Society thwart disasters, and Yamamoto was not an unjust man. It was a shame Ichigo had fallen to the Hollow within, but he would give him a chance and allow him free just this once. If he screwed up, then it was over for him.

Hollow Ichigo had actually intended to open a Garganta and return to the Living World, but Yukianesa was very insistent on staying in Soul Society until she 'recovered'. The first sign of recovery could be seen when she reverted back to referring to Rika as 'Master'. She said that her senses were snapped back to normal the moment Muramasa died. However, she claimed that the forced materialization still remained and that had to wear off before she could return back to Rika. Rika would not 'kill' her, so they had to wait it out. But since Yukianesa had the same ability as Muramasa to materialize on her own will except he did not have the penalty she did, her reiatsu would be continually sapped until his influence disappeared completely. She could not take reiryoku from Rika her normal method as well, since their bond with each other was still disturbed. Since Soul Society was filled with spirit particles as compared to the Living World, her reiatsu would not disappear that quickly.

**"I don't see what the problem is. Just steal it from Rika-chan like you always do!" **Hollow Ichigo mentioned after they stopped near a road.

"I refuse!" Yukianesa snapped angrily. "Muramasa twisted my desires! Yes, I hate Kurosaki Ichigo because I'm jealous of him! But I never wanted to kill him, nor did I ever intend to... do that... to Master," she finished with a very guilty tone.

**"You mean the raping?" **he mentioned easily.

"Yes, that. I'm a succubus, and it's easy for me to admit that I enjoy sexual activities. But rape is something I absolutely will not do, but Muramasa..." She reluctantly looked at Rika, who seemed a little frightened of her. "Master, please forgive me! I was not in the right state of mind! Please, just don't turn away from me! Don't be scared of me!" she begged to her.

"I already know Muramasa twisted your love for me, and I can forgive you for that. Just give me some time to get over it... please?" Rika gave her a weak smile. She genuinely did not blame her Zanpakutou spirit, but something like that was a huge hurdle to overcome.

"I understand. Thank you very much, Master," Yukianesa kowtowed in front of Master in extreme gratitude.

"Don't bow to me, Yukianesa! It's fine, I forgive you! There's no need to go this far!" Rika hastily helped her up.

"How can I help you get over it, Master? Please tell me," Yukianesa said, willing to do anything to make up for her misdeeds towards her wielder. "Urgh!" she suddenly grunted in pain, clutching her chest.

"Yukianesa, your reiatsu is...!"

"...I need a recharge, Master. And I can't do it the normal way. I have to suck your reiryoku through a kiss or by consuming your body fluids."

"That means...!" Rika turned beet red. Hollow Ichigo burst out laughing.

**"In the end, you need sex to recharge? Nothing changed at all from when you were with Muramasa!"**

"Would you kindly shut up, Hollow-san? This is a matter of great importance to me, if you don't mind," Yukianesa replied sweetly in a polite manner, but both of them could feel the scathing anger beneath it.

**"Scary, scary. Alright, I'll let you have the first shot if you really need it. But remember Rika-chan, today, we'll be one. Today, you'll be my woman," **Hollow Ichigo's eyes gleamed with lust if he got within inches of Rika's steaming face. **"Don't resist too much. You don't want me getting all violent on you."**

"A-Alright, onii-san... I'll... be your woman..." she looked away from him, utterly embarrassed and humiliated. If that was what it took to appease her brother's destructive impulses, then it was fine with her even if she was against incest entirely. Ichigo had turned sixteen earlier this year, and she was just past her fifteenth birthday. She was not even close to the legal age for it, but she was certainly able to engage in it without it looking wrong. "But my condition still stands! We do it in complete privacy!"

**"Easily done! See that inn over there?" **he pointed to where the dirt road led, and true enough there was an inn along the way. **"Let's get going! I'm looking forward to have some fun!"**

"Will you be alright, Master?" Yukianesa asked worriedly as they made their way towards the inn. "If you're against it, I'll help you resist his advances."

"No, I'll be alright. I trust onii-san. I won't turn him away," she replied with a gentle smile. "Don't ask, Yukianesa. I trust you as well. I won't turn you away. You need me, don't you?" Yukianesa reluctantly nodded, and remained quiet.

It was to their surprise when Hollow Ichigo stopped and mentioned that he sensed a Hollow in the inn. It was a small fry to him, and he made a show of kicking down the door and cleaving the inn owner in half. It turned out the owner was the Hollow, and there were pieces of clothing torn from Rukongai residents and Shinigami alike in a sealed room. That was the bad part. The good part was the Hollow actually maintained the inn properly, with clean rooms and a functional hot spring in the back. Rika opted to clean herself up before any activities were to be done. Yukianesa went to explore the inn while Hollow Ichigo decided to go hunting for fresh, bloody meat.

He returned late that evening, while Yukianesa had found edible food to eat, fresh rice included. He had caught several wild boars, surprising both girls with his unexpected competency to live in the wild should they have no household to turn to. After dinner and a night bath with Hollow Ichigo taking a long time in the hot spring and boasting how good it was to be king, the nighttime events had earnestly begun.

"Say, onii-san... Can we do this in my inner world?" Rika asked nervously.

**"We could, if you want to leave the princess high and dry. That, and you'll be the first girl I know that gets her virgin status back after sex. Oh yeah, you'll bleed each and every time. And it'll hurt. A lot. For you, that is," **he teased her mercilessly. **"If you want to spare yourself the pain, let's do it outside. Then we can take it to your inner world. And if you're still worried about maintaining your virgin status, your human body will still be one when we get back. Isn't it great, Rika-chan? You'll be the only girl in the world and the next who's had sex and is still a virgin!"**

"That doesn't make me happy at all!" Rika exclaimed. "And it's not something to be proud of, either!"

**"Have fun with your princess, Rika-chan! I've got some issues to settle before we start," **he left the room, snickering to himself as he sat outside.

"Are you ready, Master?" Yukianesa asked with a straight face.

"Yes. Do what you must, Yukianesa," Rika reached to disrobe but was stopped by Yukianesa when she saw how reluctant she was to loosen her shihakushou.

"No. I have no desire to have sex with you. I will settle with a mere kiss." After seeing her nod, Yukianesa moved in for the kiss. Just like before, she easily manipulated Rika to open her mouth and let her reiryoku be drained from her mouth.

"W-Wait! Time out...!" Rika gasped in urgency, nearly gagging as her reiryoku exited her throat quite forcefully.

"What is it, Master?" Both of their faces were flushed, but Rika's face was redder due to embarrassment as well.

"Just how much reiryoku do you need?"

"I will only take as much as your body will allow without you collapsing afterwards. Don't worry, you will regain it all after a good night's rest."

"Will this take long?"

"It depends. Right now, you're subconsciously rejecting me. If you put feeling into it, the flow of reiryoku will be smoother instead of you almost choking on it."

"Put feeling into it...? How?"

"I understand this is your first time to do it willingly, but don't play the fool. You just have to enjoy my kissing. You don't even have to do anything. Just accept my kiss with earnest and cease resisting."

"Alright, I'll try..."

"Do your best, Master. I'll make this extremely enjoyable for you..." Rika saw Yukianesa's red eyes glow with mischief and playful lust. "Now close your eyes, and enjoy..."

Meanwhile, Hollow Ichigo was busy diving into his inner world and only gave a nod to Zangetsu. He was not there for Jinzen, but for Ichigo. He could not wait to deliver more torture to the new horse. Smashing his fist into a seemingly random window, he dragged out an unconscious, bound Ichigo.

**"Wake up, Horse. Your King beckons you," **Hollow Ichigo said mockingly, forcing Ichigo awake with a slap. He was groggy at first, but quickly flew into a fury and he fought with all his might to take down his inner Hollow.

"Bastard! Give me back my body!" he snarled, struggling uselessly against the binds.

**"Hell no. I've earned the throne, Ichigo. I'm the King now, and you're the Horse. You want it back that badly? Then break free and challenge me again," **he replied. **"But for now, I'm actually here to feed the Horse some goodies."**

"I don't want anything from you!"

**"No, you'll like this. It's in all men's biological makeup. In a few minutes..." **Hollow Ichigo grabbed Ichigo's head and yanked it closer to his own. **"...Rika-chan becomes my woman." **He laughed maniacally as Ichigo's angry face turned into a horrified one.

"No! No! Fuck no! God damn it, don't you dare defile my sister! I'll kill you! I swear I'll end you even if I have to lose access to your powers! I'll tear my soul in half to kill you if that what it takes to destroy you forever!"

**"I didn't know a horse could howl like a worthless beaten dog. Well, just enjoy the gift, Ichigo." **With a short squeeze of his head, Ichigo was thrown back into the darkness, but he was still conscious. However, he was not seeing blackness, but out of his Hollow's eyes as Hollow Ichigo returned back to consciousness. **"I'll give you a hint, Ichigo. Feel this?" **He pinched his arm lightly, and Ichigo felt it on his arm as well. **"I think you get the picture. Just for this moment, I linked our senses together. Enjoy, Ichigo."**

Ichigo screamed and yelled, but it appeared his Hollow had blocked off all connections with him other than their senses. He watched as he opened the door and watched as Yukianesa had apparently just finished smooching with Rika. His eyes widened in disbelief as he heard a moan of pleasure coming from Rika.

"Thank you for the meal, Master. If Muramasa's influence disappears fast, we won't need to do this again," Yukianesa told her as she slurped up the mixed saliva and what looked like a blue energy. Was that Rika's reiryoku?

**"You're done?" **Hollow Ichigo asked. At Yukianesa's nod, he began disrobing and eventually popped out his protruding meat stick. Rika turned scarlet red at seeing her brother's dick. **"Excite me, Rika-chan."**

"What am I supposed to do with this?" she asked in complete confusion, sneaking hesitant glances at it.

"You suck it, stroke it, lick it, whatever you can do with your mouth. Use your hands to play with his balls if it helps. It's called a blowjob, Master," Yukianesa piped up, informing the completely inexperienced Rika. She eventually got over her discomfort and slowly took it into her mouth.

Ichigo had to wince as the feeling his Hollow received was transferred to him. This was not a gift; this was something meant to torture him psychologically! He might as well be the one doing it to Rika! He screamed all sorts of curses and swears at his Hollow as he tried his best to deny his male impulses.

**"That's fine for a first-timer, Rika-chan," **Hollow Ichigo praised after Rika had enough. Inside the inner world, Ichigo's face was flushed as he tried to fiercely deny getting turned on by the blowjob. **"Now, show yourself to me." **She slowly removed her shihakushou, her face burning with embarrassing at undressing in front of a man. **"What position should we start with?"**

"She's not ready to take it in. If you force her, I'll cut it off!" Yukianesa threatened him.

**"Is that so? Alright then make her ready, oh great sex teacher!" **he mocked.

"Yukianesa..."

"I'll going to prepare you for insertion, Master. Just do the same thing as you did before. Relax, and enjoy the experience. You don't have to do anything. Just accept it."

Ichigo could not even block the image of Yukianesa giving sexual treatment to Rika from his closed eyes. He was inadvertently getting turned on, and he could not will it to back off at all. His Hollow was not letting him. Rika's cries and moans of pleasure riled his hormones.

"Alright, she's ready," Yukianesa claimed, climbing off the limp Rika as she laid on the futon looking extremely vulnerable for sexual predators, and there was one right in front of her. Hollow Ichigo was quick to lift her legs and thrust his member in her. She let out a shriek of extreme pain as it moved it and out of her continuously as it tore down the skin that marked her as a virgin. The pain quickly passed and turned into ecstatic pleasure. "Hey, are you planning to release in her?" Yukianesa panicked when Hollow Ichigo started speeding up.

**"Isn't it obvious!" **he replied through grunts.

"Don't you dare! She might get pregnant, you buffoon!" Her warnings fell on death ears as he released in her anyway. "Master!"

"Yukianesa... It's... my safe time... I won't get pregnant... Not tonight..." Rika stroked the girl's hair to soothe her as tears trailed down her face and liquids leaked out from her bottom. Her groin area ached with a very dull pain and she felt utterly exhausted. Her hand fell from Yukianesa's head as she drifted off to sleep. Hollow Ichigo left to clean up and relax his still excited member. She glared accusingly at the liquids staining the futon and soon sighed.

"Might as well..." She stuck her fingers into Rika and drenched it with the body fluids before sucking it.

"Fuck... Fuck, fuck, fuck..." Ichigo muttered a weak stream of curses. "I'm sorry, Rika... I didn't mean to... I didn't want this to happen... Fuck this..." Knowing he was all alone, he let tears fall from his eyes as he himself ejaculated from the experience Hollow Ichigo forced him through. He had defiled his sister... How could he have let this happen? How could he have allowed his Hollow to steal his body from him? "FUCK!" he yelled with all his might and frustration, as well as despair. In the midst of it, he never noticed one of the binds holding him prisoner snap.

**Author's Note: The Zanpakutou Arc ends without Muramasa controlling Ryuujin Jakka and freeing Kouga. I have no idea how Ichigo actually fell for the very obvious taunt in the anime. Muramasa was practically saying 'I want your Getsuga Tenshou! Give it to me so I can use it!' It's for the sake of the storyline, so oh well.**

**Hollow Ichigo, being the lovable overpowered badass that he is, does not fall for the taunting, and dispatches Muramasa mercilessly and acts as Ichigo quite well until Yamamoto busts his cover wide open. Yoruichi already has her suspicions earlier on but just waited for something to happen before she acts on it. Rika convinces the Shinigami captains to leave Hollow Ichigo to her and promises to keep him out of trouble. Yamamoto gives them only one chance to escape and hopefully never to trouble Seireitei.**

**The trip home has to be delayed because of Yukianesa's penalty for being forcibly materialized, and that is the consumption of her reiatsu. With Muramasa not around to maintain her presence and being disconnected from Rika who refuses to 'reclaim' her properly has her resorting to desperate measures.**

**I used the inn on one of the filler episodes about a Hollow running it as a trap. There, Rika is officially made into Hollow Ichigo's woman. A lemon scene at the end mixed with pieces of yuri. I tried not to make the scene too detailed and make it look like outright pornography.**

**Ichigo comes back into the story as the Horse. But will he stay as the Horse, or will he strike back with righteous fury and become the King once again?**

**Now we enter the Beast Swords Arc, but not entirely. The next few chapters will focus on Hollow Ichigo's reign as King and Ichigo's imprisonment as the Horse.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	59. When Thoughts Wander

As days passed, Ichigo would sometimes awaken at random and catch glimpses of what Hollow Ichigo was doing. Over time, his waking spells got more frequent and the glimpsing sessions longer. He soon noticed the binds keeping him prisoner snapping away one by one. After a week, he was able to free himself from the blackness surrounding him and escape to the skyscrapers of his inner world.

"You've finally freed yourself, Ichigo," Zangetsu greeted him upon his return.

"Old man, please tell me. What did I miss since he took my body?" Ichigo asked desperately. "What happened to Muramasa? And Rika?"

"Muramasa has been dealt with, and your sister has been serving as his mistress for quite some time now."

"Screw this shit! That bastard hit me from behind! I was unprepared!"

"He told you not to let your guard down, did he not?"

"Zangetsu, you... You're supporting him?" Ichigo was appalled that Zangetsu was siding with his Hollow.

"I support Kurosaki Ichigo. Both you and him are one and the same, just like he and I are part of one being. If you require my power, I will gladly give it to you. If he requires my power, I will gladly give it to him," Zangetsu pledged neutrality.

"That bastard is not me! Stop making me say that over and over again!"

"...Kurosaki Rika has chosen to view him as fellow family, as another part of you. It is up to you to accept it."

"And I won't! He defiled my sister! He coerced Rika to be his woman! She doesn't deserve this!"

"Do you wish to oppose him, like he did once before with you?"

"Of course I will! Do you even need to ask?"

"...Very well. May the best Kurosaki Ichigo win."

"It sucks, but I can't do it now. I can't feel any attachment to my body yet."

"Be patient, then strike when you feel the time is right."

Ichigo made very sure he stayed under his Hollow's radar, but he seethed with pure hatred whenever he knew Hollow Ichigo would engage himself with Rika in the futon. He was thankful he was free enough to block out whatever he did not want to see or feel. Still, he had a nagging feeling as to why freedom came to him quite easily. He doubted it was due to carelessness on Hollow Ichigo's part at all. That guy desired freedom too much for something like that to happen.

The only good thing so far with Hollow Ichigo in control was he had not abused Rika in any way besides ordering her to get into bed with him and he even taught her how to utilize a Cero while she was Hollowfied as a gift for being obedient. He could not help but feel jealous at the preconceived notion that she got along with his Hollow better. He was also pissed at Yukianesa who did not do anything to get Rika out of her predicament. The only thing he had seen her do was loosen Rika up for Hollow Ichigo's turn in bed. He never took the time to really let her enjoy their time together, not even for kissing. He was only interested in sticking his dick in her and for a blowjob.

As Ichigo bided for time in his inner world, Yukianesa spent her free time wondering aimlessly through the forest and thinking deeply about her wielder's current situation. It was very clear to her that Hollow Ichigo only did five things as they waited for Muramasa's influence to completely disappear from her and she could return to Rika's inner world. Those five things were eating, hunting Hollows for sport, terrorizing the nearby Rukongai districts with his full Hollow form and stealing their food in the ensuing chaos, having sex with Rika nightly, and sleeping. Rika managed to persuade him not to engage in terrorism too much and not to kill a single soul while doing it lest they ended up getting reported to Seireitei. She also refused to have penetration during the days she knew she was in the red zone for pregnancy.

Being a succubus, her thoughts easily strayed to those that concerned sex. While she greatly enjoyed her time with Rika in bed, she was also greatly disappointed with her wielder. That girl was just way too insecure about herself when they did it. Every time without fail, Rika would turn into a helpless little lamb before the wolf that was Yukianesa. She would become completely submissive to her administering. Yukianesa only told her to enjoy their time together, not act like something to be devoured. Rika never made any advances at all. She tried coaxing her to at least make one attempt at something, but she could not even bring herself to do something as simple as a deep kiss. She had a lot of work to do to make her wielder a great partner for sex. She preferred playing the dominate role, but it had gotten a little boring with Rika never doing anything except taking it. The only improvement Rika made was remembering the various positions they got into. On a side note, but important nonetheless, the drain on her own reiryoku was lessening back to its usual amount. Muramasa's influence was disappearing.

Her musings about sexual activities over, Yukianesa thought over more serious matters. She was considering if she should teach Rika more of her techniques that did not require her Bankai. As of late, Rika was taking after Ichigo's horrendous habit of utilizing his Bankai for every little thing. She was starting to depend too much on the Yukikaze. While she never neglected her other moves, she never experimented with what she could do with them either. She really needed a harsh refresher course from Yukianesa, but would teaching her a new technique lessen her growing dependency on the Yukikaze? She could understand why Rika depended on it because frankly speaking, it had only two weaknesses besides the reiatsu cost. The first was its inability to counter accurately against projectiles. The second was high-speed regeneration, if those that had that were smart enough to realize what to do with it. The cocoon barrier could be shattered with overwhelming force, but that could hardly count as a weakness. It only meant that they simply overpowered the barrier. What should she teach Rika, if anything at all?

Yukianesa returned back to the inn to see Rika practising with her Cero. It exploded in her hands half the time, the other half successfully shooting out but losing power rapidly as it travelled. She only had access to it while Hollowfied, but that was not a problem for now. She discovered that since Hollow Ichigo was in control of the body, the time limit on her mask was unlimited as long as he was nearby. Being a Zanpakutou, she could not offer any advice on Hollow techniques, let alone kidou. Kidou was a Shinigami technique, something they learned on their own and not from their Zanpakutou. Zanpakutous could only teach their own techniques.

**"Ugh... Why can't I get this to work? It's been days and I haven't improved at all," **Rika grumbled in frustration, holding back the urge to rage and yell. The only advice she had gotten for it was to let instinct make the blast while she simply aimed the finished product, and if she was skilled enough, make her own variation of it. That was how it worked for Hollow Ichigo anyway. **"How do I let my instinct make the Cero? I don't get it!"**

"Have you tried forming it using only your Hollow reiatsu?" Yukianesa suggested as she walked up beside her wielder. "It is a Hollow technique, after all."

**"That's what I've been doing all along. If my Shinigami reiatsu leaks in, the Cero blows up in my hand. If not, I'm using too little Hollow reiatsu to stabilize it. The more I use, the harder it is to keep my Shinigami reiatsu separated."**

"That just means you're not using your instinct at all. You are using too much logic. It's a basic Hollow ability, one that even a mindless Menos can use."

**"Logic..."**

"Perhaps this is as good a time as any. I'll give you a special lesson, Master." Yukianesa summoned her Shikai form with a flick of her wrist.

**"Yukianesa?" **Rika asked in puzzlement.

"I am forbidding usage of Shikai for this lesson. Your goal is to launch an attack from a distance, in other words, a Cero, at me. You can try to engage me in zanjutsu if you think it will help, but you will be punished if you do so. The lesson starts now."

Rika focused her on drawing her Hollow reiatsu as much as she dared without it going boom in her hand. Once she felt satisfied, she fired it at Yukianesa. Her satisfaction was quickly snuffed out as it quickly shrunk in size and power, only to have it pinched out of existence by Yukianesa with only her thumb and index finger.

"Pitiful. This is just... pitiful," Yukianesa shook her head in mock dismay. "You have no talent at all, do you?"

**"Don't make fun of me! I'm still learning, you know!" **Rika protested angrily.

"Please, do try harder." Fifteen minutes flew by, with no results from Rika. Just like before, all her attempts either blew up or vanished into thin air. "...This is getting nowhere." With a quick burst of speed just short of Shunpo, she rushed towards Rika and engaged in a clash of zanjutsu. Rika was caught momentarily off-guard but quickly recovered and started defending herself. "As expected, Master. Your defence is impressive as always. However..."

At a seemingly normal swing, an icicle shot out from the tip of Yukianesa's sword just as Rika parried. She hurriedly jerked her head out of the way as the icicle flew past but she made the mistake of keeping her eyes on it for too long. She missed Yukianesa kicking at her ankle, causing her to hop on one foot in reflex. The pain was near negligible but it threw her concentration off just enough that she barely blocked the swing to her mid-section, only to see two icicles shooting out and hitting her square in her gut. She was sent back and she immediately collapsed to the ground, clutching and clawing at her mid-section. Was this what it was like to get hit by that icicle? It stung terribly, and she was hit by two in the same area! It took her a full five seconds for her to will away the stinging and stand back up.

"Too long. If you took that long to recover from such a minor attack, I think it's a miracle you got this far," Yukianesa stated, looking extremely displeased. "I thought better of you, Master."

**"You won't get me like that again!" **she declared defiantly as she made the charge this time. She saw Yukianesa take a step towards her, and she split into four illusions of herself. She quickly readjusted to swing behind her, remembering the trick she had done against Kazeshini.

"And what are you swinging at?" she heard Yukianesa ask from behind her as her swing whiffed entirely.

**"What?" **she gasped. Yukianesa had not moved behind her, but actually used those icy illusions of herself to make it seem like she did just that while she actually just dodged it? By the time Rika returned to the proper direction, all she glimpsed was a cheeky smile on Yukianesa as she swung her sword like a baseball batter. The flat side on the blade slammed into Rika's gut, knocking the wind out of her as she stumbled backwards. Near intolerable stinging erupted from the area of impact as she writhed on the ground from the frostbite.

"How unsightly, Master," Yukianesa sniffed haughtily. "I had believed your defensive method of fighting to be capable of handling misdirection as well. I suppose I have overestimated your skills if I can dismantle you using naught but the most basic of my abilities with a touch of my illusions."

**"Ugh..." **Rika had no excuse for that. There was bound to be someone who fought dirty at some point in the future. Thinking otherwise was foolish. Yukianesa was one such example of an opponent. Despite already having illusionary techniques, she still opted to add in arguably dishonourable and dirty moves to make an opening. Even childish actions like kicking the opponent's shin and stomping on their feet were used.

"But that's no surprise. You are clearly lacking in the imagination department. Do you really expect to outperform me when all you do is attempt to emulate Ichigo's fighting style whenever you're on the offence? Watching you fight has gotten boring lately," Yukianesa threw out her pompous insult and faked a yawn. "Do you even train with what I have taught you at all?"

**"I am not imitating nii-san! I have not forgotten anything you have taught me so far, Yukianesa," **Rika defended herself. Being called lazy as well as a copycat caused some indignity to rise in her.

"I know you haven't. But you're certainly using a lot more power than technique lately, just like your brother. I'm a technical Zanpakutou, just to remind you. It's an insult to me seeing you use my attacks like your one-trick pony of a brother. You think a lot, but have you no brains to think of various methods to apply my attacks? I believe I was being very generous when I showed you a few varieties earlier," Yukianesa spoke with her usual demeanour, but Rika could feel the simmering anger. She felt as though she had done her Zanpakutou wrong but did not know what.

Rika thought back, and thought hard. She had always kept in mind that she had to fight with her Shikai carefully. She knew how to make full use of the passive reiatsu absorption. The techniques she had been taught and granted permission to use were never ignored. She silently admitted that she never experimented with them, only using them as she had been shown. But to be told that she was trying to fight like Ichigo? She found that hard to believe. Their Zanpakutous were too different to do that.

**"I... don't understand, Yukianesa. What do you mean when you say I am trying to copy nii-san?" **Rika was genuinely puzzled.

"An example then," Yukianesa obliged her. "My Koori no Ame. Why do you consistently attempt to use it like Zangetsu's Getsuga Tenshou? Think hard before you protest." And think she did. Now it was being pointed out very bluntly and directly to her face, she was forced to acknowledge that she had been using it exactly like how Ichigo used his Getsuga Tenshou. She could explain why she used it that way, but the withered gaze Yukianesa was shooting her made her doubt whether it would be a valid reason or a pitiful excuse. "I see you remember now. The only time you used it differently was when you were training with Urahara-san. Other than that, each and every time you used that technique is a complete and utter disgrace!" Yukianesa flared her reiatsu in righteous fury, clearly showing her dominant superiority over her Shinigami. The pressure of it was enough to cause Rika to gasp and take a step back. Yukianesa took that chance to fire her Koori no Ame at her.

Rika quickly dodged to the side with Shunpo and tried to form another Cero, only for it to blow up. She could not concentrate enough in her haste. Fortunately, it did not hamper her from deflecting two icicles thrown her way. Just as she did so, three more icicles were fast approaching her. She cut down two of them and ducked underneath the one with the highest trajectory. She caught sight of Yukianesa swinging her sword in rapid slashes, throwing out one to three icicles per swing. Rika was hard pressed to defend herself, but she did so successfully nonetheless.

**"Yukianesa, you know I can't fire them like that! I'll run dry!" **Rika challenged the idea of shooting so many icicles like that. She could do it, but it went heavily against her logic that said it was a very bad idea.

"Don't be ridiculous. I know you can do this too if you wanted to. Don't tell me you never thought of utilizing the icicles this way," Yukianesa replied calmly, having vented some of her anger away.

**"I did, but isn't it a huge waste of reiatsu? Isn't it much more effective to just use Koori no Ame?"**

"Is it really? Are you sure? Very, very sure?" Yukianesa pressed on. She knew Rika was one to hesitate easily under pressure, and she was right. Whatever confidence she had quickly wavered as she second-guessed herself. "Aren't you forgetting about some of my other techniques?"

**"...Ah!" **Rika remembered after being prompted. **"The Overflow!"**

"There should never be any need where I have to remind you that you have other techniques to make use of. Forgetting the techniques a Zanpakutou has taught is one of the gravest insults a Shinigami can do to us. Never forget that. Promise me this."

**"Definitely. You have my word for this," **Rika swore.

"Excellent. Work on what I have taught you as well. Do not just take them at face value. Master them as best as you can. At the very least, know what each technique can do and engrave them into your memory. You must not stop and think in order to remember. Lastly, stop using so much logic when fighting. It will only cause you to hesitate. Hirako-san already told you this." Rika only nodded to that. "Good. Now that I'm in a more forgiving mood, let's return back to your disastrous attempts of a Cero." Rika fought down the urge to utterly strangle her Zanpakutou spirit for the verbal jab as Yukianesa dismissed her sword and promptly went to take a nap in the inn.

Despite having unlimited time for her Vizard Mode, Rika still failed to produce a decent Cero all afternoon. That evening, Hollow Ichigo returned to the inn, lugging back several carcasses of animals easily.

**"Still stuck on that Cero? Man, you suck!" **he laughed at her.

**"Well, I'm so sorry about that, onii-san!" **she snapped back, her composure frayed from all her failures. **"I'm sorry that I don't have the talent to shoot a laser beam of death that all Hollows love to use!"**

**"I told you already, let your instinct do the work. You just pick a target and let it go. Are you really so stupid that you can't even follow simple instructions like that?"**

**"...Do you really expect me to believe that I can just point my hand at something and expect a Cero to form?" **Rika deadpanned.

**"Did you try, Rika-chan?" **Hollow Ichigo dared her to challenge him. Man, he just loved teasing her when he just knew he was right.

**"N-No..." **And true to his prediction, she stepped down because he was right about her. Again. He cackled as he deposited the carcasses in the kitchen area of the inn. When he stepped back out, he was creaking his shoulders in a suspiciously eager manner.**  
**

**"But if you really can't do that, then maybe I should perform my duty as an older brother and help out my cute, helpless little sister." **With no warning whatsoever, he pointed his palm at her and a Cero launched itself at her. She hurriedly dodged out of the way, catching sight of a tree being reduced to smoulders behind her. She quickly judged that if that had hit, it would have hurt badly, but would not kill.

**"That was dangerous! What are you-" **her protest was cut off by another blast of Cero with a madly chuckling Hollow Ichigo at the trigger. The more she tried to protest, the faster and stronger the following Ceros became. When she got mad enough to use her Zanpakutou for protection, he shot a particular powerful one that blasted the Zanpakutou out of her hands. Another quick blast scored a hit on her left shoulder, bloodying her arm and making it temporarily useless.

**"Come now, Rika-chan! I didn't take you for a coward who just runs and hide when the going gets tough! Fight back! Show me you have the instinct to survive! Show me you have the killer instinct! Show me you have the instinct to destroy anything that stands in your way!" **To her shock and horror, Hollow Ichigo morphed himself into his complete Hollow form. Once that was done, he immediately started powering up a Cero that could and would take her life if it hit her. In fact, the whole area was shaking from the pressure of his reiatsu.

It was merely a scare tactic but Rika did not know that. Her fear of death raised the instinctual need for survival, her mindset tuning itself to a fight or flight response. That was all Hollow Ichigo needed to subtly manipulate Rika. Being the source of the other half of Ichigo's power, he knew anything and everything about his share of the power. If enough of his Hollow reiatsu was being used, he could manipulate Rika's mask to varying degrees to make her do what he wanted without her ever being aware of it. It was his gift to her, but it was not hers to begin with. He had the ultimate control over it.

For just a few seconds, the black-golden eyes Rika adopted from wearing her Hollow mask turned into black-golden slits. Like a remote-controlled puppet, she raised her right arm and pointed her palm towards Hollow Ichigo. The typical red light of a Cero began forming in it. As it built up power, he heard a growl like that of a wild beast coming from Rika's throat which made him laugh out loud with ecstatic glee. He lowered the power of his own Cero to match hers and when he felt satisfied, he lowered his reiatsu and Rika snapped from her temporary loss of sanity. Naturally, she panicked when she saw a completed Cero in her hand and felt it burning because she was not supplying it with enough Hollow reiatsu.

**"Well, what are you waiting for? Fire it already!" **Hollow Ichigo sounded absolutely sinister as in his full Hollow form, he no longer had a human's voice box to talk with. Even though he was not, he sounded like he was snarling in unbridled anger to Rika's ears. In panic and desperation, she simply fired it without aiming, and her palm was already facing towards Hollow Ichigo. He merely batted it aside with his tail since it had dropped in power from her mishandling of it. **"Try using Cero again, Rika-chan.**"

Rika doubted anything would change but she did so anyway, totally unaware that there was a small gap in her memory. To her surprise, she found the Hollow reiatsu suddenly a lot easier to control and manage. She succeeded in shooting a proper Cero, but it was nowhere near as powerful as the one Hollow Ichigo made for her.

**"But why? I'm sure I never had this much ease before," **she looked to her brother for clarification. By then, he had shed his full Hollow form and merely shrugged.

**"Don't ask me. Maybe your instinct grew?" **he suggested, expertly diverting any suspicions away him. He faked not knowing anything when that was exactly what he did. During his short possession of her a minute ago, he released more of the instinct that she was unable to access on her own. However, that instinct was not fighting instinct, but killer instinct. Of course, that was only when she wore his mask. One of the problems Rika had noted after training in her Vizard Mode was that she did not inherit any instinct at all from the source (Hollow Ichigo), unlike Ichigo or the other Vizards. All her Vizard Mode did was give her additional power, speed and the additional Hollow reiatsu. It did not improve the efficiency of her fighting ability at all. All the others had improved fighting ability due to the merging of their own instinct combined with their Hollows' own when they put on their masks.

**"Go practice more until you don't even need to think about it at all to form a Cero. Make me proud..." **Hollow Ichigo told her, going into the inn. **"... until you really become my Queen." **He chuckled sinisterly at just how gullible Rika was. She was just too enamored with him to even entertain the thought he was not as good as she made him out to be. While it felt good that he was being looked up to and not hated, he was not going to ignore what his instincts told him. He was not going to pull an Aizen though, from what he had heard through Ichigo about Aizen's method of betrayal while he had been in Soul Society after Rukia's rescue. Ichigo's love for his sister may have been twisted and warped for Hollow Ichigo, but it was still there. He wanted her, he desired her. He wanted her to bend to his will. He wanted her not just as a sister, but as a woman. As his Queen. A strong Queen. He wanted her by his side at the top of the food chain. If she was weak, he would make her strong. If anything threatened her life even when she became strong, he would destroy them for his and her sake. He was making progress but there was a major problem that stood in his path to make Rika his. And that problem was a female Zanpakutou spirit half his height and currently pointing her sword's tip at his Adam's apple.

"What the hell did you do to my master!" Yukianesa outright snarled at him, her ruby-red eyes blazing with absolute fury.

**"Helping her with her Cero is all," **he replied arrogantly, ignoring the fact he could have his throat carved out in an instant.

"That can't be all! I lost all connection with her for a few seconds! What did you do!"

**"Alright, you got me. I had to forcefully awaken more of her instinct to let her make progress. That is all I did****."**

"I'm watching you, Mr. Hollow. Don't you dare threaten my master's life or you'll have me to deal with, regardless of her feelings for you!"

**"Never even thought of that. Relax, princess. I'll make sure you won't be all gone when she becomes my Queen."**

"...So that's it. Fine. If that is what Master wishes, then I shall oblige," Yukianesa dismissed her weapon, stalking past him to check on her wielder. "Although I will be praying hard you don't succeed."

**"Hah! Don't regret it when I do make her my Hollow Queen!" **he shot back, laughing maniacally all the way to his room to await his upcoming 'service' for the night.

Inside his inner world, Ichigo was pacing back and forth with Zangetsu keeping a steadfast eye on him. He had tasked his Zanpakutou spirit to warn him to hide if his Hollow decided to come in for a visit and to prevent Ichigo himself from making any rash actions that would let Hollow Ichigo know his prisoner had escaped.

"Think it though, Ichigo. Keep your calm, and wait for your chance," Zangetsu reminded him again.

"I know that! It's just... Every night I keep waiting, the more times he lays his filthy hands on my sister! You think I can stay calm knowing that?" Ichigo barely restrained himself from venting his anger at the older man.

"Persevere, Ichigo. If you confront him recklessly, you will only lead yourself to defeat and imprisonment once more."

"I know, old man... Damn it all..." Ichigo cursed, never knowing when his chance for freedom would come. All he wanted was just one chance to take back his life!

"...Hide, Ichigo," Zangetsu warned him, and Ichigo immediately dove in the window that held him prisoner. He hated it, but he had to will the blackness around him to bind him up. He was glad he made it time just to see the taunting face of his white counterpart peek through the window and into the blackness.

**"You're awake, that's a surprise," **Hollow Ichigo said, fortunately not suspecting anything. **"I'm feeling really good right now, so I decided to give my Horse a little treat. Enjoy the night, Ichigo."** He immediately vanished after linking their nerves together. He really did not want to hear whatever his Horse had to say. It did not matter to him.

Ichigo did not want to risk cutting off a connection his Hollow made in case he could sense it, so he was forced to experience a second night with his sister. The connections he could cut off safely was when he made the connection himself. An odd thought flashed through his mind at that moment, one that he never thought he would think. He was suddenly asking the world why he was born male. Perhaps, if he was a girl just like the rest of his siblings, his Hollow would not have forced him through a sexual experience with his own sibling.

**Author's Note: Ichigo has now broken free of his prison and is now wondering around his inner world waiting for a chance to strike back at his Hollow. Rika gets a beating from Yukianesa in a refresher course of how to effectively wield her in battle. Hollow Ichigo reveals to Yukianesa that he has devious plans ahead for him and Rika. A weakness about Rika's Vizard Mode has been revealed as well.**

**Rika may have gained Cero, but she has paid a price for it without her knowledge. She does not know that due to Hollow Ichigo's help, she had allowed him a small measure of possession over her. Rika is unaware of this, but Yukianesa does. She confronts him about this, and realizes what he's up to. However, she relents only due to the fact that opposing him is against Rika's wishes. Personally though, she doesn't want him to succeed in his plans.**

**Due to Rika's Vizard Mode being an artificial one, she does not inherit Hollow Ichigo's instinct. Compared to Ichigo, she does not gain any additional fighting skills. An example would be Ichigo as a Vizard would gain a more instinctive edge to his fighting style rather than the controlled manner he normally uses. He becomes more ruthless and is less concerned for injuries just to continue fighting. Rika does not get such things. She does not improve at all, only becoming stronger and faster.**

**Hollow Ichigo has shown the capability to manipulate Rika's mask to his liking. If there is enough Hollow reiatsu used from the source, in other words, him, he can take control of her mask. This will play an important part sometime in the future when I return to the Arrancar Arc in two or three more chapters.**

**Please read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**


	60. The King, The Horse, The Sister

"Thank you for the meal, Master," Yukianesa slurped up reiryoku from Rika's mouth as a loud moan escaped from her lips from the very deep kiss.

"That's enough for now, right Yukianesa?" Rika glanced shyly at her Zanpakutou spirit as her face was flushed red, partly from lingering embarrassment. Despite nearly a month of daily night activities in bed, she still found it hard to accept the... joy of them. Although she knew Yukianesa could see anything she wanted from the inner world, she was very embarrassed to show unnecessary amounts of skin to anyone, even to her. She was hard-pressed and eventually forced to accept the fact she was highly susceptible to the acts, something Yukianesa took complete advantage of. That was proven by how easily she succumbed to her expert touch and kisses before turning completely submissive. It had gone to a point where a deep kiss would be enough to get her body to unwind and her to get drunk on the taste of the building ecstasy.

"Yes, that should be last time before we are fully back to normal," Yukianesa answered as Rika fixed her shihakushou. "By the end of today, Muramasa's influence will be gone entirely."

"That's great news! Now we can finally go back home!" Rika was glad she could finally return home.

"All that's left is Mr. Hollow. Trouble would definitely arise if he returns as he is now. How do you plan to fix this? You would be only person willing to accept your brother as a complete Hollow."

"Then that's fine. I will not abandon onii-san. I promised that I wouldn't. If nii-san somehow returns as the king, then that's fine as well," Rika said with complete conviction. Yukianesa was indeed impressed at how far she was willing to go for her family.

"I do not particularly care either way for your brother, but know that you will always have my support. Nothing will change my mind on that," she vowed her undying allegiance to Rika. Her confident smile turned mischievous at her wielder's determined expression. She just could not get enough of seeing her face turn red. It was so enjoyable to watch her composure thrown so off-balance! "Hmm, perhaps you've grown to enjoy having having a man's stick thrust into you? Could that perhaps be one of the reasons you don't mind having Mr. Hollow around?" she teased. Exactly as she predicted, Rika's face exploded into redness at that insinuation.

"Of course not! I'm only doing it because that's the deal we made so onii-san won't get too out of hand!" Rika denied furiously. "How can you even claim such a thing, Yukianesa!"

"But that's because you really looked like you enjoyed it. And all those lovely panting and moaning..." Yukianesa let out a very excited squeal. "The voices you make sounded so sweet to my ears! I can't get enough of them!"

"Well, I don't like those kind of voices! I can't believe those voices come from my own mouth..." It was no secret that Rika got highly disturbed when she heard any kind of sexual noises.

"Even so, you can't tell me you didn't enjoy being thrust into. You definitely sounded like you were. Don't even bother to deny it."

"I'm not!"

"Then admit that you enjoyed it."

"F-Fine!" her blush got even harder. "It was... good. T-There!" A horrified look soon dawned on her face when she realized she had been suckered into admitted she enjoyed it. Yukianesa broke into haughty laughter at seeing her face.

"My, my! I never suspected my oh-so-innocent master could be so forward to say such a thing! I am in utter disbelief!" she feigned a shocked expression before a sly one replaced it. "Don't become an addict now." Rika could only wail in despair at once again being one-upped by her Zanpakutou spirit as she left.

All crude joking aside, Rika was indeed worried about how everyone would take Hollow Ichigo's presence in place of the real Ichigo, especially their own family. She knew Hollow Ichigo could not be bothered with these issues at all. She did not even want to think what the Vizards would do if they found out Ichigo lost control of himself again. She doubted they would care even if it was not his own fault to begin with.

"No, this won't do. Get a hold of yourself, me!" Rika slapped her cheeks to get her thoughts straightened out as she paced back and forth outside the inn. "I have to convince at least Urahara-san and Hirako-san to allow onii-san to stick around. As long as I can direct his thirst for destruction in the correct direction, it should be fine. All that's left is our family and nii-san's friends... What will they say?"

**"What will who say?" **Hollow Ichigo spoke up beside her, causing her to scream in fright and making him laugh at the hilarity.

"O-Onii-san! Don't scare me like that!" she exclaimed as she put a hand over her chest to calm herself.

**"Hey, you're the one walking around while staring into space and never sensed me coming," **he shrugged. **"Back to you. What will who say?"**

"Our family and your friends... What do you think they will say if they know you're not nii-san?" she asked the big question.

**"Who cares," **he brushed the big issue aside like it was nothing to even ponder about. **"If they can't take it, that's not my problem. By the way, I've got no** **friends."**

"I thought you would say that..." she sweatdropped. "Isn't there anything that you remotely care about?"

**"Me, my power, Zangetsu, you. In that order," **he answered immediately.

"And nii-san?"

**"Why not? As long as he stays a good little horse, I'm good. He hates me, I hate him. We've got the perfect relationship right there!"**

"Can that really be called perfect?" she mumbled under her breath. "I don't think I have to say this but... Our family..."

**"I don't give a damn either way. That loon of an old man wouldn't care. Neither would Yuzu. The only ones I need to watch myself with is that plushy and Karin but I wouldn't worry so much about that if I were you."**

"If you say so..." Rika herself was very unconvinced that everything would turn out fine, but she decided to trust in her brother's daredevil confidence. Was he that confident he could handle the situation with such a reckless approach?

**"Rather than them, I'm more satisfied with pleasing you," **he told her, grabbing her chin and gently tilting her face towards his own. **"You don't mind me around, right?"**

"N-No, I don't... I'm glad you're here..." Rika could feel her face heating up as she stared into his eyes. Her mind was circling around what he meant when he said he would please her.

**"That's all I need. Just continue being my woman and we're smooth," **he let go of her and walked away, not noticing the look of utter shock that made itself known on her face.

"That's all I'm good for? I'm just a woman to you?" she muttered venomously, catching his attention again.

**"And my dear beloved sister. So?" **He did not see why she was suddenly so pissed off at him. She was normally so docile... A grin then cracked underneath his masked face. He wanted to see how mad she could be. Perhaps it would bring him some entertainment.

"Don't I mean anything to you other than that? Here I am working so hard to try to be someone dependable! Someone who can fight by your side! You and nii-san both treat me the same way! Like I'm some helpless little girl who can't fight with them!" she screamed at him. Why was it that neither of them could understand her desire to fight with them? Even if she came along, they almost always pushed her behind them. Why wouldn't they acknowledge all her efforts for training to get stronger? Was it because no matter what she did, she would never match up to their power?

_**'So that's what's been bothering her all this time. I thought she was behaving a little more pissed than usual,'** _Hollow Ichigo's grin turned into a smirk. _**'She's started to get fired up. She's starting to want power. I wasn't planning to keep her at her current pathetic level forever while I'm ruling, but it definitely sucks being compared to**** Ichigo.'**_

"Don't just keep quiet! Say something! Am I that useless to you? To nii-san?"

**"Nope, you're definitely not useless, that's for sure. Compared to me you probably are useless. Even if I'm your most hated enemy you want to kill at any cost, you can't even begin to compare to me. And that's me using only Shikai and without applying my Hollow powers,"** he did not mince his words. Rika lowered her head slightly but he could still see the burning anger in her eyes. She was also tearing up but she was definitely making the effort to ignore it.** "But against Ichigo with just his Shikai? I'll bet you all my powers that you can defeat him even at his best, not factoring me in."** That took Rika for a loop as her angry expression turned into one of confusion.

"Are you serious? I... can defeat nii-san if he only had Shikai?" It was hard for her to believe it.

**"Power is everything to us Hollows. If I'm betting it, I assure you of it," **he reassured her. **"You, my dear Rika-chan, are only going to get stronger. You've still got a long way to go but you are not useless. Hell, you haven't even got Bankai yet! Once you get it, 'useless' doesn't apply to you any more. But you could still be 'weak'. It depends."**

"Are you trying to praise me or insult me? Stop spinning your words and tell it to me clearly!" Rika was getting desperate for acknowledgement. She wanted to know she was growing stronger. She needed to know! Call it childish but she just needed someone close to her to tell her and mean it. She did not need false praise.

**"Okay, then I'll say it loud and clear. Ichigo doesn't deserve you. Screw him. But you deserve to be by my side. Not only do you deserve it, but I want you. I want you not just as my woman, but as the sister who stands tall beside me. I want you by my side. I _need _you by my side. Clear enough for you?"**

"Then say it clearly from the start!" she snapped at him halfheartedly with an angry gaze that was on the verge of turning into an extremely happy one. It did not help that her face was a cherry red from pure bliss coloured with embarrassment. She was touched because she knew he never lied. He twisted his words all the time but they were always the truth. "Tell me... that I'm needed..." her voice dropped down to a whisper but he heard her clearly.

**"You got that right. I need you. Don't ever forget that, you hear?" **In a uncharacteristic moment, he patted the top of her head twice before chuckling in that sinister tone of his and heading inside the inn. As Rika put her hand over where he patted her in stunned silence, chopsticks were dropped on the floor and a window was smashed in at an inn and an inner world respectively.

"Was that a confession?" Yukianesa asked herself, just as stunned as Rika. She had been eating leisurely when she had heard Rika screaming in anger and decided to eavesdrop on her. She dropped her chopsticks when she heard the end of their conversation. It sure sounded like it was one, though the subject they were talking about made it debatable if it was a confession or not.

"That son of a-! What the hell was that, old man! Don't tell me that they just confessed to one another!" Ichigo had smashed a window in with his foot to vent his anger when he heard the 'confession'. Being the arguably over-protective brother that he was, he was naturally against Rika having any sort of romantic interest with any boys. Or girls, he quickly added, remembering Yukianesa. Although she was the one who was romantically as well as sexually interested in Rika and not the other way around, Ichigo was forced to consider that his sister just might have started swinging both ways. She never started anything and was always unwilling to start but she barely ever resisted when it did start. From the sights his Hollow forced him to witness occasionally, he could no longer deny that Rika had started to enjoy sex with both genders despite her hesitance. His brain wandered off on its own for a moment, wondering what Rika's sexual preferences were. Was she straight but gradually turning bi? Could it be she was bi to begin with but preferred to be straight? Was it that she was straight but bi when aroused? Or perhaps she was straight all along but only turned bi when another female engaged her first? "...Damn it," Ichigo cursed as he felt his erection grow just from remembering the images permanently stuck in his memory. Curse his Hollow for putting them there!

"...It's time, Ichigo," Zangetsu interrupted his wielder's angry rantings. "Muramasa is the one responsible for bringing your Hollow out of his prison. His influence over you will be completely gone by tonight, thus weakening his presence for some time. That will be your time to strike. If you lose, your body will recognize him as the real owner and you will be locked here in your inner world and in his prison. And I will be your warden."

"I got it, old man," Ichigo took a deep breath in to calm his nerves and prepare for the upcoming battle after nightfall. His eyes blazed blue with his complete resolve as he stared at his sideways sky. "There's no way in hell I'm losing this rematch. I will reclaim everything he took away from me for this past month! I will make him pay for defiling Rika!"

Hollow Ichigo was unaware of Ichigo's plotting but he did know his body had been getting stiffer as of late. It did not hamper him at all but it was a major irritant. Unlike the former King who only had book smarts, he had power smarts. He was able to understand causes and effects of powers better than Ichigo. He was not ignorant of the fact Muramasa contributed to his escape and now that his influence was ending, he knew he had to put more effort than usual in maintaining his position on the throne that was Ichigo's body. He just did not expect the extra effort to be in the form of Ichigo himself.

**"Feisty, aren't we? Eh, Ichigo?" **Hollow Ichigo mentioned in a carefree manner after suddenly being pulled into the inner world and nearly being beheaded by a sneak attack from a snarling Ichigo.

"You son of a bitch! I swear I'll end you if it's the last thing I do!" Ichigo swore vengeance for himself and Rika.

**"You sure you wanna say that? Mom would be so sad you called her that," **he mocked.

"Shut the hell up! Don't you dare refer to Rika as your sister! Don't you dare claim her to be your woman! Don't you dare claim my mother to be your own!" Ichigo attacked with a hate-filled Getsuga Tenshou but to no avail. Despite the haze of fury clouding his judgement, he already knew that his Hollow was his better at wielding Zangetsu. He had to catch him off-guard just like he did the first time.

**"You can't blame me for making Rika-chan my woman. She gave me her word that she would do _anything_ to repay me before I could tell her what I wanted from her. And I must say, she is one fine girl!" **he continued taunting him as he easily parried the frenzied strikes.

**"Getsuga-!" **Ichigo gathered his reiatsu for a close-range Getsuga when he managed to force a deadlock.

**"You're slow, even when you're doing nothing but copying me!" **Hollow Ichigo swung his leg out, catching Ichigo in the side and blowing him off to create some space.

"You're not having my body any longer, bastard! You're not having Rika for yourself any longer!" Ichigo shouted through a cough, having the wind temporarily kicked out of him from the sneak attack. He would expect that kind of attack coming from Grimmjow because he mostly used his fists and feet to fight, but not from his own Hollow. In their previous fight, Hollow Ichigo was more than content fighting on Ichigo's terms, and he had been the dominant one for nearly the entire fight! He had underestimated his Hollow's intelligence and would not make that mistake again.

**"If you want those things back that badly, I suggest you pick up the pace," **he told him, resting his own Zangetsu on his shoulder in a relaxed pose. **"Take a look. Maybe this will be a little incentive for you to try harder." **Up in the sideways sky of their inner world, the sky tore open like a Garganta to show what was happening with the now-mindless body of Ichigo. They watched as he growled softly as he stood up. A crazed smile was on his face as the upper left quarter of his face was covered by the mask which was slowly growing in quantity. The mask that was previously on his face had been shattered when Ichigo initiated the rematch. The wild mane of hair remained, though. They watched as Rika entered his room, seemingly drunk on her feet as she stumbled towards him with her Hollow mask on. When she got close enough, she appeared to be totally unaware of her surroundings. Without any hint of a warning, the mindless Ichigo slammed her into the nearest wall and yanked her mask off her face, moving it all the way to the back of her head and leaving her face exposed. Though mindless, the instincts told him that this girl in front of him belonged to him. His scent and his reiatsu was all around her! There was no doubt in his instinct-driven mind that she was someone he lusted over. Rika herself did not register the assault at all, staring almost lifelessly into space as her shihakushou top was completely ripped in half brutally and discarded to the floor, exposing her upper body completely. She also did not register the extremely aggressive kisses and sexual actions done against her, only continuing to stare. The only sign of life she gave was the slightly laboured breathing. To the watching Ichigo's horror, the white liquid that formed the bone-like material of his Hollow mask started pooling around their feet, gradually turning them into Hollow's feet. **"Such a bad timing for our dear Rika-chan to be training with her Hollow mask on! Unfortunately for you, Ichigo!"**

"You! What did you do to her!" Ichigo yelled as the sky closed up, signalling the end of the show.

**"I made our connection a little stronger, that's all. Didn't she tell you anything?" **Hollow Ichigo asked mockingly. **"Oh, I forgot. You were my Horse, so of course she didn't tell you! But out of the generosity of my twisted heart, I think I'll tell you anyway. I made her more sensitive to my reiatsu. If the source, meaning me, puts out more reiatsu than she can handle while she's wearing my mask, she gets drunk. Drunk with my power. The longer she stays drunk, the more she becomes like me. Like me as in my complete Hollow form. She becomes a monster just like me. That also means I get to control her to a small degree."**

"Bankai!" There was no more time for words. The ante had just been upped severely. If he took too long, his sister would turn into the very same monster he nearly turned into himself. He had to finish this rematch fast. Despite the rapid activation, his hopes of a quick victory did not go any higher. Hollow Ichigo blocked his initial strike, using his own momentum against him to create distance between them and safely activating his own Bankai. Ichigo mentally grimaced at his plan's failure. He had just blown his best chance out of the water. He had been aiming to defeat him with the sheer difference in power between Shikai and Bankai without letting him activate Bankai.

**"Trying to be sneaky, eh? Too bad for you I expected such a thing," **Hollow Ichigo cracked his neck as his white coat billowed out behind him. Ichigo bellowed out a furious battle cry as he charged at him with as much reiatsu as he could muster. Steel clashed against steel, and Getsugas of equal ferocity ate at each other. Hollow Ichigo cackled menacingly with a sinister smirk at Ichigo's frustrated look. **"What's the matter, Ichigo? That's the best you got?"**

"No! Not yet! How about you try taking on _my_ original attack!" Ichigo charged up his Zanpakutou with the power of a Getsuga Tenshou but did not release it. His sword was engulfed in the black-red energy as Hollow Ichigo raised an eyebrow in slight curiosity. Ichigo was sure this variation of the Getsuga was one his Hollow did not know. The enhanced strike struck the defending blade, causing the energy to spray wildly and damage the surrounding skyscrapers. The sheer force of the blow caused a crater to form beneath the skyscraper Hollow Ichigo was standing on but he himself appeared unscathed.

**"What? That's it? And here I thought you were showing me something interesting. Something I didn't know," **the smirk fell from his face, replaced by a look of irritated boredom. **"You never change, Ichigo. Like I told you back then, all you're doing is copying me!" **The smirk came right back up as his white Tenza Zangetsu spewed out the white-red energy of his own Getsuga Tenshou. The look of shock on Ichigo's face was priceless.

"Why do you know this? I'm sure you've never used Getsuga Tenshou in this manner before! How do you know this?" Ichigo struggled to keep his composure and not let despair creep into his mind.

**"Did you forget, Ichigo? Half of me represents you as a Hollow, and the other half of me is part of Zangetsu! I know everything there is to know about our Shikai and Bankai! Face the facts, Ichigo! You'll never be stronger than me! Not now, not ever!"**

"I don't give a damn about who's stronger or not! I am _not_ giving you my body! I am _not_ giving you my life!" Ichigo roared as he broke the deadlock, swinging back around for another strike. It was easily avoided because the power of the Getsuga he kept in his Zanpakutou made it harder to swing at the usual speed. To his dismay, that penalty hardly seemed to apply to his Hollow. He did get slower but just barely. He did not know if he was being taunted with that fact or his Hollow was underestimating him, but once again Hollow Ichigo was content fighting at Ichigo's pace while dominating him. "Fight me seriously, damn it! Fight me with all your power so I can prove to you that I'm the better half!" Ichigo's wounded pride could not help but let itself be known as he let the stored up power in his Zanpakutou dissipate, his Hollow doing the same as they both backed away from each other.

**"I don't think you know this, Ichigo, but you have a glaring weakness," **Hollow Ichigo told him since the issue was being brought up that he was not taking Ichigo seriously at all.

"Yeah, I know! If I knew any Kidou, I'd have defeated you from the start!" he snapped.

**"Once again you're proving to me you've got no brains at all. Why the hell would I mention Kidou, idiot?" **Ichigo's idiocy was starting to grate on his nerves. **"I'll give you a hint. You know Rika-chan's general weakness is her lack of experience in real-time combat, right?"**

"What about it?"

**"Yours is pretty similar. Fortunately, I don't share weaknesses with you."**

"You're telling me I lack experience too? So what? I've got more than enough to defeat those that stood in my way!"

**"Think harder, fool. Rika-chan lacks experience, so she's weak. She is pushing herself to match you, or at the very least your weakest ally that can fight at the front. She's working hard, real hard, to get stronger. Unlike your lazy ass."**

"What the hell do you mean by that?" What was he trying to say? Was he trying to imply Rika had something to do with his so-called weakness? "What do you mean by I'm lazy?"

**"What I mean by that is Rika doesn't really need anyone to help her gain power. She seeks it out on her own. It helps to have motivation from others, but she ultimately doesn't need it, unlike you. That's why I like her, and desire her. She's got the instinct to want more and more power. Isn't it ironic that she's so much like me and less like you? Yeah, you're stronger than her, but she's better than you. She has been for a long time. Get it?"**

"Get to the damn point! Stop dragging Rika into this! This is between you and me! Stop involving her! What are you trying to say?"

**"Since you're so unwilling to accept the facts, I guess I'll just spell it out for you. Your greatest weakness is when someone fights on your level," **he revealed to a stunned Ichigo.

"On my level?" he repeated.

**"Think about it. From the beginning all the way up to now, all your hard-fought opponents, even me, have something in common when fighting you. Wanna guess what that is?"**

"They were all stronger than me," Ichigo answered, connecting the dots quickly. It was obvious since those fights were impossible for him to forget.

**"Bingo! Let's have an applause for the Horse!" **Hollow Ichigo exclaimed in false cheer. **"The both of us have so much potential to keep on getting stronger, but you don't have that instinct. So what if you've remembered your fighting instinct? You don't have it in you to want to get stronger unless someone else shoves in it your face that they are stronger and better than you. Putting it simply, you only got stronger because you are forced to match their level of power and skill in order to keep up. You can't handle our potential for power. As long as you don't fight someone stronger than you, you don't improve at all. You can't improve on your own. Deep down in the darkest corners of your mind, you know that."**

"Like hell that's true! Don't compare yourself with me! All the power I've gotten so far is to protect the people I care about! I'm not gaining it to prove I'm superior to everybody else! I don't have your crazy obsession with power!" he denied furiously.

**"Now you're just making excuses and it's pathetic. Rika-chan's got the same intentions as you, you know. She wants to protect too. But unlike you, she doesn't stop because she's gotten 'strong enough'. She's always aiming higher. High as she can go. Something you can't seem to do."**

"Don't look down on me, bastard! If I have to up my game to beat you down, then I will! I've beaten you before, and I'll do it again!"

**"Yeah, you beat me, alright. I'm not making any excuses for that," **Hollow Ichigo admitted freely, surprising Ichigo for an instant. **"I made the mistake of taking too many steps ahead of you and letting you improve your fighting standards to match mine, and I couldn't regain my composure. Well, not this time," **he pointed his Zanpakutou towards him challengingly.

"Yeah, you won't win this time either!" Ichigo shot back.

**"Do your worst, Ichigo! I'll make sure to 'keep up' with you!" **he cackled as they fired twin blasts of Getsuga Tenshou, Hollow Ichigo easily matching Ichigo's reiatsu output and making it a stalemate. **"The clock's ticking, Horse! You don't have the time to 'horse' around now!"**

"Wait for me, Rika! I'll save you from _him! _Just hang in there!" Ichigo swore to the skies of his inner world. "Don't turn into a Hollow, you hear me? I won't let you turn into a monster!"

**Author's Note: And we're approaching the end of this arc! Ichigo and his Hollow have their rematch for the position of King! Rika reveals her desire for power, wanting both Ichigo's acknowledgement that she can fight with them on the front lines.**

**Hollow Ichigo reveals the greatest weakness of Rika's artificial Hollowfication and that is his ability to control her while she is in Vizard Mode. If the output of Hollow reiatsu is too strong for her, she will lose her sanity. This has happened once before in the previous chapter. The possession of her body during the Hollowfication training does not count because she was knocked out by Hollow Ichigo's forced possession, not due to her losing sanity because of excess Hollow reiatsu. ****Because Hollow Ichigo is not directing her lost sanity this time, Rika is simply 'drunk' and completely out of it. Because nothing is directing the excess Hollow reiatsu in her, it's doing the exact same thing to her as it's doing to Ichigo's mindless body: turning the body into a Hollow.**

**Hollow Ichigo also reveals Ichigo's greatest weakness: his inability to improve on his own. Being part of him, Hollow Ichigo knows that Ichigo only gets stronger if someone stronger fights with him. He credits Ichigo's improvement to being forced to improve to match his opponent's level of skill and their pace of battle. He figures out that Ichigo has the most difficulty fighting opponents who match his own pace instead and without stepping too far ahead.**

**The last chapter for this arc and the conclusion of their rematch will be coming up next! What will happen to Rika now that she's turning into a full Hollow?**

**Read and enjoy, fellow readers! Reviews are very welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or two!**

**P.S.: Whenever the next chapter is done, I will have rewritten this story and have the new chapter posted in it. I will be rewriting and cleaning up most chapters, replacing the order of the chapters to better fit the storyline, perhaps even deleting a few chapters, and make a chapter dedicated to Rika's biography. I feel it would be better this way each time I decide to give Rika a new ability. Instead of having readers refer to previous chapters for what her older abilities do in case they forget, having a chapter as a bio would be a great convenience.**


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